Funeral schedule: six days of tributes and farewell

The first president of Cameroon’s Supreme Court will be laid to rest following a programme that spans from Monday, 22 June to Saturday, 27 June 2026. The family of Alexis Dipanda Mouelle published the complete itinerary, detailing prayers, ceremonies and processions.

From Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 June, the family home at the Bastos crossroads in Yaoundé, the country’s political capital, will open for moments of reflection and prayer from 18:00 to 19:00 each evening.

On Thursday 25 June at 10:00, the body will be removed from the morgue of the Yaoundé General Hospital. This will be followed by judicial tributes at the Supreme Court building. At 15:00, a mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of Mary Queen of the Apostles in Mvolye. The day ends with a vigil at the family residence.

Friday 26 June marks the departure of the funeral cortege for the village of Bonakou-Bwapaki. Along the route, a stop is planned at the family property in Bonakouamouang, located in the Akwa district of Douala. The night will be spent in vigil at his birthplace. The burial itself is set for Saturday 27 June 2026.

Biography of a judicial giant

Alexis Dipanda Mouelle was born on 25 March 1942 in Bonakou-Bwapaki, Littoral Region. He studied at the University of Paris before entering Cameroon’s judiciary in 1965. He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice in 1975. In 1986 he was appointed head of the Supreme Court – a role later formally titled First President – and he remained at the helm until his retirement on 31 December 2014. He was succeeded by Daniel Mekobe Sone.

His career is closely tied to the validation of the controversial 1992 presidential election. At the time, he proclaimed the narrow victory of Paul Biya (39.98% of the vote) over opposition figure Ni John Fru Ndi (35.9%), a decision that stirred debate in the context of Cameroon’s return to multiparty politics.

Beyond national borders, Dipanda Mouelle chaired the 17th session of the United Nations Committee against Torture, served as a member of the arbitration chamber of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and was a member of the International Institute of French-speaking Law (IDEF).

He passed away on 4 May 2026 at the age of 84.