Baloum: Family Accuses Traditional Ruler of Extra-Judicial Killing

 

The Constitution of Cameroon, through its legally binding Preamble, guarantees every citizen the right to life and physical and moral integrity. Yet, the country’s criminal laws continue to retain the death penalty for certain serious offences.

Under the Penal Code, capital punishment remains a legal sentence for crimes including aggravated murder, terrorism-related offences, treason, espionage, and other offences affecting state security.

However, Cameroon has not carried out an official execution since 1997 and is widely considered a de facto abolitionist state, maintaining the death penalty in law but not applying it in practice.

The law also provides strict procedures before any death sentence can be executed. Under Section 21 of the Penal Code, any offence punishable by the death penalty is classified as a felony, meaning such cases fall among the most serious crimes under Cameroonian criminal law.

Section 23 further states that executions, where authorised, can only take place through methods provided by law, including hanging or firing squad, as specified in the court judgment.

In addition, Section 22 of the Penal Code provides that no death sentence can be carried out until the President of the Republic decides whether to grant a pardon or commute the sentence through the constitutional power of clemency.

Against this legal background, the alleged killing of Sijamo Diffo Steve Achille, a 32-year-old man in Baloum, Penka-Michel Subdivision of Cameroon’s West Region, has sparked public outrage and renewed debate over mob justice, traditional authority, and the rule of law.

The family of the deceased has formally petitioned judicial authorities, accusing the Traditional Ruler of Baloum and others of alleged involvement in offences including assassination, torture, unlawful detention, destruction of evidence, and outraging a corpse.

The family alleges that, instead of following legal procedures, the suspect was subjected to an immediate form of punishment outside the judicial system after being accused of stealing roofing sheets from a school.

The complaint, filed on June 15, 2026, by the Diffo and Maguia families, follows the death of Steve Achille, whose death certificate issued by the Penka-Michel Health District indicates that he died on June 5, 2026, from severe burns.

According to the complaint addressed to the state  Prosecutor  at the Dschang High Court and Menoua Courts, Steve was allegedly invited to Baloum by an acquaintance before being accused by some residents of stealing roofing sheets from a school.

The family alleges that he was arrested without a judicial warrant, taken to the Baloum traditional palace, tied up, and subjected to torture.

The complaint further claims that the incident was recorded on video and that the traditional ruler was present during part of the events. The family alleges that attempts to contact Steve’s relatives before his death were unsuccessful and that he was later taken away by a group of individuals before being beaten and burned.

A person identified in the complaint as Bostel Kamta is said to have intervened, reportedly pleading for Steve’s life and insisting that he was innocent.

The family is demanding a full investigation and prosecution of all persons allegedly involved, including those identified through video recordings and photographic evidence.

The Baloum chieftaincy has previously rejected accusations that the traditional ruler ordered or supported the killing, insisting that instructions were given for the suspect to be handed over to the gendarmerie.

Security authorities have confirmed that investigations are ongoing.

The case has intensified discussions on the limits of punishment in Cameroon, with legal experts warning that no individual or authority has the power to replace courts and impose punishment outside established judicial procedures.

They stress that even persons accused of serious crimes are entitled to due process and that alleged offences must be handled through lawful institutions.

Human rights advocates say the Baloum incident highlights the dangers of mob justice, commonly referred to as “jungle justice”, which remains prohibited under Cameroonian law.

As investigations continue, the family of Steve Achille is awaiting answers on the circumstances surrounding his death and the possible responsibilities of those accused.

 

By Lasha Kingsly