The ten detained leaders of the Ambazonia separatist movement have been sentenced for life by the Yaounde Military Tribunal after a court hearing that dragged early into Tuesday morning.

Handing down the verdict on Wednesday morning the court ordered them to pay 1. 250 billion FCFA to  the state Cameroon as damages and 2. 12.5 billion FCFA to the civil party.

They have ten days to appeal the verdict, the presiding magistrate Lt. Col. Misse Njone said while handing down the verdict.

“The sentencing of Sisiku and Co to life imprisonment is an affront to due process and the rule of law. The right to fair trial is a fundamental human right. The Sham process is a reflection of the Sham management of the Country,” human rights lawyer Felix Agbor Nkongho said.

The case that started on Monday morning at about 11 AM, dragged on as the defense counsel stood their grounds on the recusal of the panel of judges but the court proceeded to arraign the accused forcing their lawyers to stage another walk out.

However, the judges proceeded with hearing despite continuous protests from the accused as the prosecution and civil made their submissions that dragged on into the night before the sentence was handed down.

The detained separatist leaders were accused amongst others of secession, rebellion, hostility against the fatherland and non possession of national identity cards.