Bah Oumarou Sanda, early Cameroonian Constitutional Council judge, dies at 86

Bah Oumarou Sanda, a prominent jurist and diplomat and one of the inaugural members of Cameroon's Constitutional Council, died on August 7, 2026, at the age of 86. He passed away in Yaoundé following a short illness and was laid to rest in Soa according to Muslim tradition.

Sanda, a native of Garoua in the Northern region, concluded a lengthy professional career that spanned multiple significant phases. He began in the judiciary, graduating from the National School of Administration and Magistracy (Enam). His judicial service took him to various posts across the country, including as a prosecutor in Bafoussam, Nkongsamba, Edea, and Yaoundé, before he was appointed Prosecutor General of the Court of Appeal of the West.

His career then saw a transition as he moved to serve as Secretary-General of the National Assembly. Following this role, he entered the diplomatic service, appointed as Cameroon's ambassador to Chad. He represented Cameroon in N'Djamena until 2018. Upon his return to Cameroon that year, his extensive experience in the magistracy and central administration positioned him for a prestigious role.

He was appointed to the Constitutional Council, one of the institutions established by the 1996 constitutional revision. As one of its first members, Sanda played a part in shaping the council's identity, particularly during the 2018 presidential election. The televised hearings of the council's proceedings helped engage Cameroonians with politics, and Sanda contributed to crucial decisions during pivotal political moments before, during, and after 2018.