Sentenced with her father for incest, a mother serves her sentence with her infant at Mfou prison. A situation that reignites the debate on the urgency of applying alternative sentences to detention.
The verdict delivered on April 21, 2026, by the Mfou Court continues to provoke mixed reactions. The artist Atangana Atangana Désiré Dieudonné, known as St Désir Atango, was sentenced to five years of firm imprisonment for incest and witchcraft practices. His eldest daughter, Atangana Armandine Darline, received three years in prison for maintaining an incestuous relationship with her father, from which a baby was born who is now ten months old.
While several organizations defending the rights of women and children have welcomed the firmness of justice in the face of a serious crime, another disturbing reality remains: that of an infant incarcerated with his mother. For the NGO New Human Rights Cameroon (NDH-Cameroon), this situation constitutes a flagrant violation of Cameroon’s international commitments.
“Making a 10-month-old baby pay for the faults of his mother does not serve the best interests of the child,” denounces the organization, which relies on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This text requires that “the best interests of the child” prevail in any decision concerning him. Yet, the infant, completely unrelated to the alleged facts, suffers the prison conditions of Mfou prison.
NDH-Cameroon also recalls the provisions of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which explicitly recommends alternatives to imprisonment for mothers of young children. The text notably provides to avoid detention, promote substitute measures, and, above all, prohibit the joint incarceration of mother and child.
Beyond this case, the NGO highlights a broader issue. Several women incarcerated in Cameroon live with their babies in prison, as seen in cases reported in Bamenda since June 2025. “Authorities must not let a child spend the first years of their life in detention,” insists NDH-Cameroon, citing serious risks for the development and future of these children.
In a context of chronic prison overcrowding, the organization calls for urgent reform of judicial practices. It advocates for the effective application of alternative sentences, especially for mothers, to reconcile the imperative of justice with respect for the fundamental rights of children.
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