Presidential directive for Justice Minister Laurent Esso

President Paul Biya has officially designated Laurent Esso, the Minister of Justice, as his “personal representative” for the funeral ceremonies of Alexis Dipanda Mouelle, the esteemed first President of the Supreme Court. This significant decision in Cameroonian politics was conveyed through a correspondence issued by Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic, to the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, dated June 10, 2026.

The funeral program for Alexis Dipanda Mouelle began on Monday, June 22, and is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, June 27, 2026. From Monday, June 22, through Wednesday, June 24, 2026, moments of reflection and prayers were held daily from 6 PM to 7 PM at the family residence located at Bastos crossroads in Yaoundé, the nation’s political capital. Today, Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 10 AM, the body will be removed from the Yaoundé General Hospital morgue, followed by solemn judicial tributes at the Supreme Court.

A solemn journey to Bonakou Bwapaki

Later this afternoon, at 3 PM, a mass will be celebrated at the Basilica Marie Reine des Apôtres de Mvolye. The day will conclude with an evening vigil at the family home. Tomorrow, Friday, June 26, 2026, the funeral procession is set to depart for Bonakou-Bwapaki village. Along the route, a stop is planned at the family concession in Bonakouamouang, near Akwa in Douala, before proceeding to a vigil in his ancestral village. The final interment is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026.

Alexis Dipanda Mouelle was a distinguished Cameroonian magistrate whose career profoundly influenced the country’s judicial and political landscape. He notably served as the first President of the Supreme Court from 1990 until his retirement in 2014. Born on March 25, 1942, in Bonakou Bwapaki, a locality within the Littoral region, he passed away on May 4, 2026, at the age of 84.

A legacy of legal service

Having received his legal education at the University of Paris, Alexis Dipanda Mouelle joined the Cameroonian magistracy in 1965. He steadily advanced through the ranks, becoming the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice in 1975. In 1986, he was appointed to lead the Supreme Court, a position later formally designated as First President. He held this pivotal role for 24 years until his retirement on December 31, 2014, when he was succeeded by Daniel Mekobe Sone.