Cameroon: chief Baloum and eight others jailed over Steve Diffo double murder
Court & justice
Cameroon: chief Baloum and eight others jailed over Steve Diffo double murder
In a landmark ruling, the traditional chief Baloum and eight accomplices have been remanded in custody following the horrific double murder of two young men in the Western region.
Legal proceedings commence after brutal double murder
The case took a decisive turn when traditional leader Baloum and eight co-accused were formally charged and transferred to Dschang Central Prison. Legal representatives for the victim’s family confirmed the charges include murder, torture, complicity in murder and torture, and failure to possess national identity cards. “No human being, even condemned to death by normative justice, deserves such a fate,” stated the lead attorney.
Victims identified and community reactions intensify
The victims, identified as Bostel Kemta and Steve Achille Diffo Sijamo, were targeted in a coordinated attack on June 5 in the village of Baloum. Both were reportedly subjected to prolonged torture before being burned alive. The incident occurred with the alleged complicity of local residents and under the watch of village chief Charles Constant Pokam Noussi, who surrendered to authorities on June 17.
Legal action and public outrage
Two formal complaints were filed by the victims’ families. The first was lodged with the Penka-Miche gendarmerie brigade—the district authority overseeing Baloum village—where the crime took place. The second was submitted directly to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors expressed concern over the delayed notification of such a grave incident.
The case has ignited widespread public debate about justice, traditional authority, and accountability in Cameroon’s Western region.