Justice for Steve Diffo as the Baloum chief and eight others are remanded in Dschang

In a significant turn of events for the Steve Diffo case, the traditional ruler of Baloum and eight other suspects have been formally charged and placed in detention at the Dschang central prison.

The legal proceedings surrounding the horrific double murder in the West region of Cameroun took a decisive step on Thursday, June 25. The high-ranking Chief of Baloum, alongside eight co-defendants, was moved to the Dschang central prison after being indicted for their alleged roles in the deaths of two young men. According to legal counsel representing the family of Steve Diffo, the group faces heavy charges including assassination, torture, complicity in these acts, and failure to possess national identity cards (CNI). “No human being, even if sentenced to death by a formal court, should ever be subjected to such a fate,” the attorney stated during the proceedings.

The victims at the center of this tragedy are Bostel Kemta and Steve Achille Diffo Sijamo, two men in their thirties who were reportedly held captive, tortured, and then burned alive on June 5. This act of violence occurred in Baloum under the alleged supervision of the village chief, Charles Constant Pokam Noussi. Following the outcry and investigation into his involvement, the chief surrendered to the authorities on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

Seeking justice for the victims, the family has initiated two separate legal complaints. The first was lodged with the gendarmerie brigade in Penka-Michel, the administrative center governing the village of Baloum where the events transpired. A second complaint was brought before the Public Prosecutor, who expressed deep surprise at the severity of the incident and the fact that such grave crimes had not been officially reported to his office sooner.