President Paul Biya designates Laurent Esso for Supreme Court president’s farewell

President Paul Biya has formally appointed Laurent Esso, the current Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, as his personal representative to attend the funeral services for Alexis Dipanda Mouelle, the esteemed first president of Cameroon’s Supreme Court. This significant announcement was conveyed through a letter dated June 10, 2026, from Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Republic’s Presidency, to the Minister of State.

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

A journey to Bonakou Bwapaki

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

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

His successor: Daniel Mekobe Sone

After receiving his education at the University of Paris, Dipanda Mouelle joined the Cameroonian magistracy in 1965. He steadily ascended 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, retiring on December 31, 2014, and was succeeded by Daniel Mekobe Sone.