Funeral details released by family of former Supreme Court president

The first ever president of the Supreme Court of Cameroon is soon to be laid to rest. According to a schedule published by the family of Alexis Dipanda Mouelle, his funeral will take place from Monday, June 22 to Saturday, June 27, 2026.

From June 22 to Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the programme includes moments of reflection and prayers from 6 pm to 7 pm at the family home at the Bastos junction in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s political capital. On Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 10 am, the body will be taken from the morgue of the Yaoundé General Hospital. This will be followed by a judicial tribute at the Supreme Court.

Bonakou-Bwapaki village

At 3 pm, a mass will be held at the Basilica of Mary Queen of Apostles in Mvolye. The day ends with a wake at the family home. On Friday, June 26, 2026, the funeral cortege will depart for the village of Bonakou-Bwapaki. Along the way, a stop is planned at the family concession in Bonakouamouang via Akwa in Douala, then a wake in his native village. Burial is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026.

For context, Alexis Dipanda Mouelle was a senior Cameroonian magistrate who left a mark on the country’s judicial and political history. He served as first president of the Supreme Court from 1990 to 2014. Born on March 25, 1942, in Bonakou Bwapaki (Littoral region), he died on May 4, 2026, at the age of 84.

Daniel Mekobe Sone

Trained at the University of Paris, he joined the Cameroonian judiciary in 1965. He steadily climbed the ranks and became Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice in 1975. He was appointed head of the Supreme Court in 1986 (later formally styled as First President). He remained there for 24 years until his retirement on December 31, 2014, when he was replaced by Daniel Mekobe Sone.

His career is deeply tied to the official validation of the 1992 presidential election. It was he who proclaimed the last-minute victory of Paul Biya (39.98% of the vote) against the historic opposition candidate Ni John Fru Ndi (35.9%), a highly contested verdict in the context of the return to multiparty politics.

The International Institute

Beyond Cameroon, he served as president of the 17th session of the United Nations Committee against Torture, as a member of the Arbitration Chamber of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, and as a member of the International Institute of French-language Law (IDEF).