Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Joseph Essama
Published on 2024-03-04 12:16:37
Daouda, Lamfu Johnson and Tongue Nana Stéphane are respectively accused of complicity in arrest, kidnapping, complicity in torture, violation of instructions, and murder in the case of the assassination of journalist Martinez Zogo.
The three men are complete unknowns to the general public. Apart from their names, their ages or ranks are unknown. What is known is that the three men are members of a commando, detained for several months at the Kondengui prison, and they are charged, according to the authorities of the Military Tribunal of Yaoundé, with complicity in arrest, kidnapping, complicity in torture, violation of instructions, and murder in the Martinez Zogo case. This qualification of offenses, which is part of the ongoing judicial procedure for shedding light on the death of the host Martinez Zogo, was requested by the government commissioner near the Yaoundé Military Tribunal, Cerlin Belinga, who had made additional requisitions with the investigating judge a few days ago. Lieutenant Colonel Cerlin Belinga requested the reclassification of the charges for five accused.
In addition to the three individuals mentioned above, the government commissioner had requested that Lieutenant Colonel Justin Danwe, former director of operations at the General Directorate of External Research (DGRE), the Cameroonian counter-espionage, and Martin Savom, mayor of the Bibey district (Haute-Sanaga), be charged with “complicity in murder.”
This approach is based on Article 145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which states that “the public prosecutor may, at any stage of the judicial inquiry, by an act called a supplementary requisition, request the investigating judge to carry out all acts that appear necessary to establish the truth, and, especially, to make new accusations.”
A new accused in this case is journalist Bruno Bidjang. The former general manager of Vision 4 is accused of “conspiracy to torture, arrest, and kidnapping.” His boss Amougou Belinga Jean Pierre, Maxime Eko Eko, the former director general of external research (DGRE), Engwelle Ngwelle Etienne Jacques, Sawaing Yves, and Heudji Guy Serge are charged with complicity in torture.
Lieutenant Colonel Danwe Justin is charged with complicity in torture, complicity in murder, complicity in arrest and kidnapping, violation of instructions.
Mayor Bibey Savom Martin, in turn, must answer for complicity in torture and murder.
Another unknown to the public, a certain Bidzongo Mbede alias Arthur Essomba, is charged with complicity in torture, usurpation of title and functions.
Upon analysis, the supplementary requisitions made by the Government Commissioner constitute a significant advancement in the judicial procedure. An anonymous magistrate cited by our colleagues at SBBC said he was surprised by the accusations of “torture, complicity in torture, failure to provide assistance, aggravated arrest and kidnapping in collusion, and violation of instructions in collusion” that were brought against the accused, considering the facts reported in the police investigations. The Government Commissioner’s approach was therefore aimed at aligning the charges with these facts.
Since last December, new momentum has been given to this case with the appointment by the President of the Republic of Pierrot Narcisse Nzié as investigating judge at the Military Tribunal of Yaoundé.
Investigating Judge Sikati Kamwo, who was then in charge of the case, was removed from the Martinez Zogo case after being at the center of controversy.
In early December, leaked documents revealed that this magistrate had signed an order for the release of two key accused in the case: businessman Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga and Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, former head of counter-espionage. Both were suspected of masterminding the journalist’s assassination. After a series of official denials, the two accused remained in custody. Within the public opinion, the close associates of the two men saw it as a blatant interference in judicial affairs, while their opponents who continue to believe in their guilt saw it as a corrupt justice system.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
