The long-running investigation into the killing of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo reached a significant procedural milestone as Colonel Jean-Pierre Otoulou, the lead investigator, wrapped up a closely watched court appearance in Yaoundé.
Otoulou defends his investigative approach
Taking the stand, Colonel Otoulou offered a robust defence of his work, telling the court he had gathered solid evidence. Among his claims, he pointed to communications suggesting that journalist Bruno Bidjang — at the time an associate of businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, a central figure among the accused — had attempted to gather information about inquiries that touched on him.
Defence counsel alleges interference
While Bidjang sought to establish his innocence, the legal representative for Martinez Zogo’s heirs condemned what he described as meddling in the judicial process. “This merely confirms what we suspected from the outset. He genuinely tried to infiltrate this joint commission in an investigation that was supposed to concern him,” said Barrister Calvin Job.
The chain of command under scrutiny
During exchanges with Colonel Otoulou, Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe of the DGRE acknowledged having orchestrated the surveillance, abduction and torture of the Cameroonian broadcaster Martinez Zogo. He is also said to have assembled the operational teams using DGRE personnel. Nevertheless, he implied that he had acted on instructions from his superiors.
For the lawyers representing Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, who headed the general directorate for intelligence at the time of the events, no evidence backs Danwe’s account. “He went on a mission without receiving any mission order or funding. When he returned, he made no report to his superiors. The simple conclusion is that this was a personal initiative by Colonel Danwe,” said Barrister Ndjana Ndjana.
Danwe maintains torture location claim
Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe further reiterated that the torture of Martinez Zogo did not take place in the Ekang building, which is owned by Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga.
