Yaounde: The Military Tribunal in Yaound©, Cameroon, has sentenced Abdul Karim Ali, also known as AKA, to life imprisonment in absentia. This ruling was delivered by a panel of three military magistrates on April 16, 2025. The sentence comes three years after AKA was abducted from his hometown of Bamenda and transferred to Yaound© to stand trial as a civilian in a military court, according to his lawyer, Bassiter Joseph Awah Fru.

According to Cameroon News Agency, the sentence was handed down following Abdul Karim’s arrest in Bamenda, located in the North West region, and his subsequent transfer to Yaound©. Mr. Karim refused to appear in court during the proceedings, and in May 2024, through his legal counsel, he formally renounced the tribunal’s jurisdiction over him, claiming his identity as a Southern Cameroons citizen and Ambazonian. He expressed his unwillingness to submit to what he described as the annexationist jurisdiction of La R©publique du Cameroun.

The legal team, led by Bassiter Joseph Awah Fru, stated that they would consult with Abdul Karim regarding the verdict and discuss the next steps.