12 Nso “Nwerong” secret society members jailed

From Willibroad B. Nformi in Kumbo

 

Fon of Nso celebrating 19th anniversary

The Kumbo court of first instance, has slammed a one-year jail term on 12 members of the Nso secret society, Nwerong. It has also ordered that the Nwerong’s activities should oscillate around issues that promote and protect human interest; else the high hand of the law will continue to fall on it.

This was the substance of a sentence delivered in Kumbo recently by Justice Abongwi Forchap Ambrose, the Bui high court president who doubles as the president of the Kumbo court of first instance.

The twelve convicts stood trial on a four-count charge among them: inciting mob to set fire to a dwelling place, invasion of residence at night and destruction.

The twelve accused, now convicts, appeared before the court for having on 4^th February 2010 invaded and burnt the compound of one Fon Wirnkar Joseph. Wirnkar lost property and claimed 100,000,000FCFA as special and general damages. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty and would not pay the damages as claimed.

Delivering his judgment on the 10^th of September 2012, Justice Forchap in a 28-point established facts, inter alia, said a meeting held in the Nso palace had resolved to destroy the compound of the prosecution witness (PW1) Wirnkar Joseph at Kitiwum for claiming to be fon and that over a 100 people invaded the compound of the said Wirnkar Joseph and burnt his compound and other property.

The man-of-law established unequivocal that the accused were acting under that guise of Nwerong. He was categorical that jujus are masks won by human beings. He made it clear that when human beings wear the masks and commit an offence, the offender will be unmasked and punished.

 Justice Forchap said he was quite aware of the attachment the Nso people have for their traditional ruler and the institutions he incarnates but said mere declarations by Fon Wirnkar Joseph that he was a fon was not provocative enough to cause the accused to go destroy his compound and property.

The twelve accused persons were found guilty of the first three counts and will each pay a fine of 250,000FCFA plus 30625FCFA cost or serve an additional one-year prison term.

He ordered that his court shall only allow the activities of the Nwerong, Ngiri and other palace jujus if such activities are out to promote sports, or any activity for entertainment or the fight against disaster to protect humanity.

He equally ordered that any activity by Fon Wirnkar Joseph as a fon is prohibited and the exercise thereof in violation of the said order shall equally be treated as contempt of court.

Concerning the civil claim and based on the evidenced adduced, the court awarded PW1 special damages 69,000,000 and 1,000,000 general damages totaling 70,000,000FCFA to be paid jointly and severally by the accused.

Four of the accused aged 60years and above, however, benefited imprisonment in default and ordered to pay their fines within one week or join their compatriots at the Kumbo principal prison.

All the accused were given 11days to appeal the matter. As at press time there was no indication that any of them had appealed or paid the fine.