Martinez Zogo-Pierre Amougou Belinga Affair: Court decision expected today ⁰

Colonel Misse Njoné, head of the panel of judges in the military tribunal handling the high-profile case of journalist Martinez Zogo’s assassination, is set to rule today on procedural objections raised by the defense and the prosecutorial motions presented by the government commissioner. This case involves 17 defendants, including 12 agents from Cameroon’s powerful intelligence service, the General Directorate for External Research (DGRE). They stand accused of kidnapping, torturing, and killing Martinez Zogo in January 2023. Zogo, a prominent radio host at Amplitude FM in Yaoundé, frequently exposed corruption involving top government officials.

The judge’s decision on whether to accept the defense’s complaints regarding alleged irregularities in the preliminary investigation and the case’s instruction phase could significantly impact the course of the trial. If the judge upholds the defense’s objections, the investigation could be restarted from scratch, potentially resulting in the release of some of the accused. During the last hearing on October 21, the government commissioner opposed all objections and requested their outright dismissal.

In recent hearings on September 30 and October 21, defense attorneys raised multiple procedural challenges, particularly pointing to errors made by investigators during both the preliminary and instruction phases. For instance, lawyers for Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga—an influential businessman suspected of ordering Zogo’s murder—argued that the search of his residence was conducted without a warrant or notification to his attorneys. They also alleged that certain items disappeared during the search.

Furthermore, the defense claims that witness statements were illegally taken and that interrogation records were “regularized” only after the fact. This retroactive approval was reportedly granted by the government commissioner, who headed the joint police-gendarme investigative team. Defense attorneys contest the legality of this team, asserting that jurisdiction should have rested with the public prosecutor in Mfou, where Zogo’s body was found, or the Central Region tribunal prosecutor.

The defense also challenges a December 1, 2023, dismissal order issued by former investigative judge Sikati II Kamwo, which called for the release of Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga and former DGRE chief Léopold Maxime Eko Eko. Following an administrative dispute, the military tribunal deemed the dismissal order falsified, keeping both men in custody. The defense now insists the order was genuine and demands the immediate release of their clients based on this document.

Since the proceedings began in March, these procedural debates have delayed the trial’s progression to substantive issues. Today’s decision by the tribunal president will determine whether the case will finally proceed to the main trial phase or face further delays.

Source: Sbbc