The Ministry of Justice of Cameroon is the Department responsible for administering the Cameroon justice system. As of May 2004, the Minister of State for Justice was Amadou Ali. The legal system in the Cameroon is complex with a constitution developed in 1972 and revised in 1996 as well as elements of the Code Napoleon, Common Law and customary law. In early 2005, the Ministry of Justice became responsible for administering the prison system due to unrest in the prisons. The Ministry of Justice also has a shared responsibility for administering human rights in the Cameroon. There have been serious allegations about use of torture by police and military officials in the Cameroon. Administration of justice The constitution of the Cameroon provides that the Supreme Court of Cameroon is the highest court existing in the country. In addition, the country has appeal courts, circuit courts and magistrates courts. The Supreme Court is located in Yaoundé as is the Cameroon High Court of Justice consisting of nine titular judges and six surrogate judges and The Constitutional Council of Cameroon, consisting of eleven Judges with three nominated by the President of Cameroon, three nominated by the President of the Senate, three others nominated by the Speaker of the National Assembly and two by the Higher Judicial Council. All of these nominations are forwarded to the President of the republic who appoints them by decree. Other courts are located throughout the country. The constitution provides for a Constitutional Council responsible for ensuring the Constitutionality of laws. The Supreme Court carried out this duty before its creation in 2018. Cameroon claims that the judiciary is independent from the executive and the legislature. However, the US State Department claims that the judiciary is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and that the Supreme Court can only consider a constitutional matter when referred to it by the President of Cameroon, 1/3 of the Members of the Cameroonian National Assembly or 1/3 of the Members of the Senate of Cameroon. The Supreme Court is responsible for adjudicating disputes between the president and the National Assembly. The President of the Cameroon in his capacity as President of the Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon is responsible for appointing judges and also has the power to dismiss them. The Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon advises him on the nomination of judges and magistrates and has responsibility for judicial discipline. The