In a significant humanitarian breakthrough, 38 young detainees in Cameroon have been released from prison after an NGO stepped in to cover their court-ordered financial penalties. The intervention, part of an ongoing initiative since 2014, highlights the persistent issue of prison overcrowding linked to unpaid contraintes par corps—court-mandated financial obligations that detain individuals beyond their sentence terms.
Humanitarian initiative unlocks freedom for indigent youth
The Françoise Puene Foundation for Freedom, a local NGO, facilitated the release by settling the financial obligations of 38 young detainees aged between 16 and 28. These individuals, incarcerated in the Bafoussam Central Prison, lacked the means to pay court-imposed fines or restitution, trapping them in detention long after completing their sentences.
« We observed that most inmates in Bafoussam Central Prison were young people, many barely in their late teens. The oldest among them was 28 years old », explained Françoise Puene, founder of the foundation. The NGO’s eighth intervention since 2014 underscores the systemic challenges of prison overcrowding and the disproportionate impact on financially vulnerable youth.
Contraintes par corps: A financial barrier to liberty
The contraintes par corps system, enshrined in Cameroon’s penal code, requires convicted individuals to fulfill financial penalties or restitution orders before regaining freedom. Failure to pay results in prolonged detention, exacerbating prison congestion.
« Our penitentiary centers are severely overcrowded. Many detainees remain incarcerated solely because they cannot afford to settle their financial obligations », noted Adray Epente Tazeu, Secretary-General of the West Region’s governor services. The situation reflects a broader crisis in Cameroon’s justice system, where poverty often translates into extended imprisonment.
Voices of freedom: Ex-prisoners share their relief
Among those released was Efred Ngayeu, who spent nine months in prison—three months beyond his original sentence—due to unpaid contraintes par corps. « I am deeply grateful that someone stepped in to pay for me. It’s a second chance at life », he shared. The financial penalties for the 38 detainees ranged from 40,000 to 150,000 CFA francs (approximately 60 to 228 euros), a sum beyond their reach.
The NGO’s intervention not only restored freedom but also spotlighted the need for systemic reforms to address the root causes of prison overcrowding in Cameroon.
