The Protection of the Rights of Suspects in Pre-trial Detention within the Perspective of Remand in Police Custody under the Cameroonian Legal System

Abstract

 Remand in police custody otherwise referred to as detention, is a legally approved and circumscribed mechanism of restriction of liberty, with the view of protecting society interest threatened by the commission or omission of an offence. The criminal procedure code defines it as a measure whereby for the purpose of criminal investigation and the establishment of the truth, a suspect is detained in a judicial police cell, wherein he remains for a limited period available to and under the responsibility of a judicial police officer. Finding a compromise between the respects of the rights of a suspect remanded in custody with societal interest has never been an easy task for any legislator. To this end, the paper seeks to examine the protection of the rights of suspect as are confectioned in the criminal procedure code and its extent of implementation as we sought to respond to the main question, to what extent does the Cameroon government guarantee the respect of the rights of person remanded in police custody?. To realise this paper, both doctrinal and empirical research methods were used. Empirical research consisted of field work during which data was collected. Doctrinal research involved essentially analysis of data collected with the help of documents at our disposal. The government has made efforts in respecting the rights of persons under custody but its efforts are insufficient.