In a dramatic turn at the ongoing trial for the murder of Cameroonian radio host Martinez Zogo, a harrowing video depicting the final moments of the journalist was unveiled yesterday in a military court in Yaoundé. The footage, recovered from the digital devices of one of the defendants, shows Zogo bloodied, bound, and pleading for help before his death in January 2023.
courtroom reactions to the disturbing evidence
The video’s projection left the courtroom in stunned silence, with many observers visibly moved to tears. Ludovic Zabze, legal representative for the victim’s radio station Amplitudes FM, described the scene as emotionally overwhelming. ‘When the video ended, I turned to look at the accused,’ he recounted. ‘Even they appeared shattered. The impact of what they witnessed was profound.’
The footage, retrieved from the Google account of Godje Oumarou—a suspect accused of participating in the abduction and killing—depicts Zogo with his hands bound behind his back, an injury to one ear, and his face covered in blood. The video was played for the first time during the trial, offering a chilling glimpse into the final hours of the outspoken journalist.
digital evidence ties suspects to the crime
Professor Georges Bell Bitjocka, a cybersecurity expert, testified that the video and numerous screenshots were extracted from the phones of multiple defendants, including Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, Bruno Bidjang, and Martin Savom. His forensic analysis formed a critical part of the prosecution’s case, linking the accused to the crime through digital evidence.
In a separate exchange recovered from the same investigation period, a suspect is heard relaying instructions from Justin Danwe, a former operations director at Cameroon’s external intelligence agency (DGRE). The conversation references ‘taking images of the mouse’—a coded reference, according to investigators, to Martinez Zogo himself.
defense challenges credibility of digital evidence
However, the defense team for Maxime Eko Eko, the former DGRE director, dismissed the video and related materials as irrelevant. Maître Séri Zokou argued that no evidence ties his client to the crime, stating that the phone data was submitted to investigative and judicial authorities with no incriminating links to Eko Eko. ‘This case has nothing to do with my client,’ he asserted.
Maître Calvin Job, representing Zogo’s family, countered that the digital evidence alone could substantiate the prosecution’s claims. ‘If the court relies on this report, it will have already established 98% of the case,’ he stated.
background: the life and death of a fearless journalist
Martinez Zogo, whose real name was Arsène Salomon Mbani Zogo, was a prominent radio personality in Yaoundé. At 51 years old, he hosted a daily morning show called ‘Embouteillages’—‘Traffic Jams’—where he fearlessly criticized societal ills and powerful figures in Cameroon, with one notable exception: President Paul Biya, whom he consistently praised.
His abduction on the evening of January 17, 2023, shocked the nation. Five days later, his body was discovered naked in a remote area roughly 25 kilometers from Yaoundé, bearing clear signs of torture. The investigation revealed a network of high-profile suspects, all currently in detention.
The list of accused includes Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, former head of the DGRE; Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe, a former DGRE operations chief; Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, media mogul and owner of L’Anecdote; and Stéphane Martin Savom, a local mayor and administrative official. All 17 defendants were formally charged with murder, torture, kidnapping, and unlawful detention.
The trial, initially bogged down by procedural delays, finally opened on March 25, 2024, at the military tribunal in Yaoundé. Substantive hearings began on September 1, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in Cameroon’s pursuit of justice for one of its most vocal critics.
