Cameroonian historian and filmmaker Soh Tatcha Charles is at the center of a legal battle after producing a film about the history of Bansoa, a village in the Western region of Cameroon. Lawyer Maître Penka Michel, son of the late Patriarche Penka Michel, has filed a lawsuit against him, raising questions about freedom of expression in Cameroon.
Soh Tatcha Charles, motivated by a duty to remember, made a film exploring the history of the village of Bansoa. Instead of sparking intellectual debate, his work was met with a defamation lawsuit, an interlocutory procedure, and an order prohibiting the film's distribution, with a penalty of 500,000 FCFA per day. This decision has been seen as an attempt to silence the historian before the story can be heard.
The case highlights a glaring imbalance of resources. On one side, Soh Tatcha Charles, a teacher and researcher, relies on his belief that historical truth belongs to everyone. On the other, Maître Penka Michel, surrounded by some twenty lawyers, is deploying a methodical legal strategy. Lawsuits include an initial defamation complaint, interlocutory proceedings, a restraining order, and a hearing scheduled for March 16, 2026, before the judge of the enforcement litigation of the Dschang Court.
An observer from the Cameroonian academic community said, "You don't fight an idea with procedures. You fight it with evidence and arguments".
At the heart of the conflict is the question of ownership of Bansoa's history. The Penka Michel district, rich in complex history, deserves to be told and debated. Soh Tatcha Charles, as a historian, has asked questions, produced sources, and confronted stories. The legal response to his film sends a disturbing signal, suggesting that questioning a dominant version of history can lead to financial and legal consequences.
This case divides the Bansoa community, creating fractures and fueling resentment. Instead of bringing the children of this land together, this legal battle relegates the challenges of local development, education and social cohesion to the background. Soh Tatcha Charles, for his part, remains determined to defend the truth, embodying the resistance of the free researcher against imposed silence.
The question remains: will the sons of Bansoa choose dialogue rather than the courts? The date of the hearing before the judge of the enforcement litigation of the Dschang Court is set for March 16, 2026.
