Following a humanitarian initiative, 38 young detainees in Cameroon have regained their freedom after their court-ordered debts were settled. These individuals, aged 16 to 28, were unable to pay the contrainte par corps—a financial penalty imposed alongside prison sentences for minor offenses.

This marks the eighth consecutive year the Françoise Puene Foundation for Freedom has intervened to support impoverished detainees in Cameroon’s prisons. The foundation’s president, Françoise Puene, highlighted the persistent issue of overcrowded detention centers, particularly in the West Region’s main prison in Bafoussam.

« Many of these young inmates are first-time offenders, serving time for minor infractions. Some have been behind bars for months longer than their original sentences due to unpaid court fees,» Puene explained.

The contrainte par corps system, as outlined in Cameroon’s Criminal Procedure Code, requires convicts to pay fines or restitution upon completing their sentences. Failure to do so keeps them incarcerated indefinitely in civil debt imprisonment—a practice that exacerbates prison overcrowding.

Adray Epente Tazeu, Secretary-General of the West Region’s governor’s office, acknowledged the systemic challenge: « Our prisons are critically overcrowded. Many detainees remain trapped simply because they cannot afford these financial obligations.»

One beneficiary, Efred Ngayeu, shared his relief after spending nine months in prison instead of the six-month sentence he received. « I’m truly grateful that this foundation stepped in to pay my debt. It’s given me a second chance,» he said.

The foundation covered court debts ranging from 40,000 to 150,000 Central African francs (approximately €60 to €228) for each of the 38 ex-detainees. Their release underscores the ongoing struggle between legal obligations and socioeconomic barriers in Cameroon’s justice system.