Efforts by lawyers to Anglophone separatist cause to seek bail for detained Ambazonia Defence Force leader, Martin Cho Ayaba, have once more flopped.
The District Court of Oslo in the Norwegian capital has extended his detention until May 5, 2025.
This announcement, which came the day after a decisive hearing held on March 10, represents a severe blow to supporters of the Anglophone separatist cause.
Norwegian magistrates are said to have justified their decision by “a high risk of flight” concerning the separatist leader. It was established that Ayaba Cho was actively preparing to move to England before his arrest.
“He had already started transferring his belongings and made contacts with people based in the United Kingdom”, a source close to the case is quoted as saying, adding: “Everything indicated that he felt the noose tightening around him.”
The case against Ayaba Cho is particularly heavy. The separatist leader faces accusations of incitement to crimes against humanity and financing separatist violence. These charges could result in a severe sentence if his guilt is established.
What is striking in this case is the extent of the evidence collected. Investigators have seized over a million WhatsApp messages and a series of critical documents that reveal the extent of his network and potentially his operational methods. A substantial body of documents that testifies to sustained activity over several years.
The judicial decision comes at a time when efforts to peacefully resolve the Anglophone crisis seem to be stalling, despite repeated calls from the international community. For the Cameroonian government, this detention is undeniably a positive point in its strategy to neutralize separatist leaders operating from abroad.
