The military court of Yaoundé concluded the judicial inquiry into the assassination of journalist Martinez Zogo, who was also the former director of Radio Amplitude FM, on Friday, March 1st. This milestone paves the way for the trial to commence in the coming weeks, with around twenty individuals indicted on various charges being referred to the court.
In Cameroon, the closure of this judicial inquiry comes barely five days after five individuals in detention had their charges reclassified. Consequently, three members of the DGRE (the Cameroonian counter-espionage service) will stand trial for “murder.”
Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Justin Danwe, former director of operations at the DGRE, and Martin Stéphane Savom, serving mayor of Bibey commune, will face charges of “complicity in murder.”
Businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga and Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, formerly the head of the DGRE, the two most prominent accused in this case, will now be prosecuted for “complicity in torture,” according to their lawyers.
A Tense Trial Anticipated
While the date for the trial at the military court is yet to be determined, Charles Tchoungang, lead counsel for Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, anticipates a swift commencement.
The closure of the judicial inquiry comes thirteen months after the journalist’s disappearance. It involved the involvement of three investigating judges, amidst a tense atmosphere and various pressures. The upcoming trial is expected to be no exception to this environment. One key aspect of consideration is whether it will be conducted in public or not.