Biya discards immunity provision for ministers

The clause on the immunity for Government Ministers was sent back to the Constitutional Committee of the General Assembly.

It was also stated that the Presidency of the Republic ordered for the provision to be dropped from the Penal Code.

It is worth noting that the draft bill No. No. 989/PJL/AN of June 2016 on amendment of the Penal Code had been adopted by the Lower House of Parliament and forwarded to the Upper House (Senate) for examination and adoption.

Sources said, the President of the General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Council, Barrister Ntumfor Nico Halle had been in Yaounde and went round lobbying for that clause on the immunity for Ministers, among other things, to be cancelled from the new Penal Code.

It was remarked that immunity is only granted to the President of the Republic and Members of Parliament.

Lawyers and other civil society groups that have been clamouring for the cancellation of certain provisions of the new Penal Code to be rejected have registered such news as victory or one of the battles in the fight won.