Man in his fifties appears in court in Oslo over alleged role in armed conflict in Cameroon

A man in his fifties, residing in Norway, is set to appear in court in Oslo today for a detention hearing. He was arrested yesterday in a planned operation, according to the Norwegian National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos). Anette Berger, a prosecutor with Kripos, noted that the investigation is still in its early stages, with several investigative steps remaining.

The man is believed to play a significant role in an ongoing armed conflict in Cameroon, where there are multiple armed conflicts. Cameroon accuses various rebel groups of terrorism, while the military is also criticized for civilian attacks, restricting freedom of expression, and harshly repressing protests. Since 1982, Paul Biya has been the dominant president, and a 2008 amendment allows the president to serve for life, despite the country officially becoming a democracy in 1991.

Kripos has stated that the accused is detained due to concerns about evidence potentially being tampered with. Berger emphasized Norway’s international responsibility to ensure it is not a safe haven for individuals committing war crimes or crimes against humanity. This marks the first time a person in Norway has been charged with incitement to commit crimes against humanity.

The accused denies any criminal intent, asserting that the charges stem from a misunderstanding of the situation in Cameroon and his role within it, as stated by his attorney Morten Engesbakk. Engesbakk did not provide specifics about how his client explains the charges, but confirmed that he is cooperating with authorities and has offered a detailed account.