Seeking Justice in Court: An Analysis of the Problems and Failures of the Judiciary in Cameroon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t5435Abstract
The article examined the importance of access to justice as an essential instrument for the protection of human rights in Cameroon. It demonstrates that the fundamental rights of persons are best protected and enforced through the process of access to the court. The article further unravels the reality of the Cameroonian situation and posits that there are several obstacles to the realization of access to justice in the country. These obstacles, such as undue delay in the administration of justice, executive suppression of the judiciary, high cost of litigation, reliance on technical rules, locus standi, and illiteracy, are examined in turn, in validation of the proposition. Finally, it inquires on the prospects for improvement of access to justice in Cameroon by advocating for judicial reforms, the resort to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, less reliance on technical legal rules, and the availability of legal aid schemes as decisive measures liable to positively impact on the quest for the protection of human rights in the country. Thus, the right of an accused person to been given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defense need not result in undue delay in the dispensation of justice which has been said to be a three-way traffic; for the plaintiff, the accused and the society at large. Also, it is noted that access to administrative court is important as it’s a means to fight against arbitral use of power by the administrative authorities. In doing so, it protects human rights, and liberties. It is only when we approach the issue along these lines that the overwhelming concern for increased access to justice in Cameroon will be realized and basic human rights given their proper place in the scheme of things.
Keywords: Access to Justice, Human Rights, Protection and Courts
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