Cameroon: Justice Still Awaited for Slain Journalist Martinez Zogo One Year On

Zogo was kidnapped on January 17, 2023, in Yaoundé, and his lifeless body was found four days later, on January 21

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, January 22, 2024 – A year after the horrific murder of journalist Martinez Zogo, authorities in Cameroon are yet to fully shed light on the circumstances surrounding his kidnapping, torture, and killing or hold any suspects to account. Zogo was kidnapped on January 17, 2023, in Yaoundé, and his body was found four days later, on January 21.

Following the tragedy, René Emmanuel Sadi, the Minister of Communication, issued a statement reassuring everyone that "Cameroon is a state governed by the rule of law, where freedoms are guaranteed, including press freedoms, and where no one can and should take the place of the competent jurisdictions to take justice into their own hands”. This member recalled that "active research continues as part of the investigation opened to find and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”

Following Zogo’s abduction and killing, authorities arrested several people, including two key suspects, Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga and Leopold Maxim Eko Eko. However, the military court in charge of the matter has yet to conclude its investigation.

The investigation into the murder of Zogo is believed to hold considerable suspense, given the implication already of top public figures and close allies to rival political clans in the country. Before his death, Zogo was the director of the privately owned radio Amplitude FM based in Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon. He hosted a program called “Embouteillage” (equivalent to “Gridlock” in English) which denounced governance malpractices, acts of corruption, and alleged embezzlement of public funds by top officials.

Members and partners of the Media Freedom Coalition said: “Today marks one year since Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo was found brutally murdered. We, the members and partners of the Media Freedom Coalition, acknowledge the Cameroonian government’s efforts to investigate his murder and its circumstances. Every effort should be made to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. We recall the crucial role free and independent media play in Cameroon and all over the world in democratic and open societies.”

On the anniversary of Zogo’s killing, IPI calls on authorities to speed up their investigation.

“A year has elapsed since the kidnapping and killing of Martinez Zogo, and despite the arrest of some suspects, justice is yet to be served and numerous questions remain”, IPI Advocacy Director Amy Brouillette said, “If authorities in Cameroon believe the international community will forget this case, they are wrong.”

She added: “Authorities must guarantee an independent, transparent, and thorough investigation into Martinez’s murder and ensure that the judicial system is free to work independently to unearth the truth, serve justice, and hold the perpetrators of this horrific crime to account. Failure to credibly solve this case will only further endanger the safety of journalists in Cameroon.”