Faits divers

Burglary at Special Criminal Court in Yaoundé

First published: 6 Sept 2026, 15:07 · 2 headlines

Faits divers: headline reviewed by the Editorial Board. Private individuals are not named beyond official sources, no image of a victim is reused and the presumption of innocence applies. Reviewed by the Editorial Board on 9 September 2026

A burglary occurred at the Special Criminal Court in Yaoundé on the night of August 29-30, 2026. According to one account, the thieves stole an office computer and some personal effects from the office of the head of the criminal section 2, but no sensitive documents or state funds were taken. However, another version of events suggests that the thieves may have made off with billions of CFA francs and sensitive documents. The court is normally under heavy surveillance by elite units of the Gendarmerie Nationale, making the burglary a troubling incident. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the break-in and what was actually stolen. The incident has raised questions about the security of the judicial institution and the potential for internal complicity. According to one source, the person in charge of the burgled office does not handle judicial decisions, which may suggest that the thieves were after private funds. The president of the Republic, Paul Biya, signed a decree on August 31, 2026, and the coincidence of the burglary with this event has raised suspicions. The case is not just a simple theft, but also raises concerns about the fragility of the Cameroonian judicial institution.