In a dramatic turn during the ongoing trial for the murder of Cameroonian radio host Martinez Zogo, a video depicting the final moments of his torture was unveiled at the military court in Yaoundé on June 1, 2026. The footage, retrieved from the digital devices of one of the accused, reveals a harrowing scene of the journalist bound, bleeding, and pleading for help.
The trial, which has stretched over months, resumed with the presentation of forensic evidence by Professor Georges Bell Bitjocka, a digital forensics expert tasked with analyzing phone data from multiple defendants. Among the exhibits were screenshots and the now-infamous video, which has left an indelible mark on all who witnessed its playback.
emotional testimony and damning evidence
The courtroom fell silent as the video played, with some attendees visibly shaken. Ludovic Zabze, attorney for Amplitude FM, the radio station Martinez Zogo worked for, described the moment as emotionally overwhelming: “By the end of the video, I couldn’t bear to look at the accused. Even they seemed shattered by what they saw.”
The evidence points directly to Godje Oumarou, a member of the alleged execution squad and one of the accused. Investigators found the video in his Google account, linking him directly to the atrocity. Prosecutors allege that the footage was recorded on the night of January 17, 2023, the same evening Martinez Zogo was abducted.
exchanges that sealed his fate
Digital records reveal a chilling conversation from that night, where an order was given to another suspect—“take the images of the mouse”—a coded reference to Martinez Zogo. The directive, traced back to Justin Danwe, a former operations director at Cameroon’s external intelligence agency (DGRE), implicates high-ranking officials in the orchestrated abduction and murder.
Meanwhile, defense attorneys for the accused have vehemently denied their clients’ involvement. Maître Séri Zokou, representing former DGRE chief Maxime Eko Eko, asserted: “There is no evidence linking my client to these events. The phone data was handed over to investigators, and his name never surfaced.”
Professor Bell Bitjocka’s investigation also covered the devices of other key figures in the case, including media mogul Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, journalist Bruno Bidjang, and local official Martin Savom.
For the prosecution, the evidence is overwhelming. Maître Calvin Job, representing Martinez Zogo’s family, stated: “If the court relies on this forensic report, 98% of the case is already decided.”
a case that shook Cameroun
The murder of Martinez Zogo—born Arsène Salomon Mbani Zogo—sent shockwaves through Cameroon on January 22, 2023, when his lifeless body was discovered near Yaoundé. Aged 51, he left behind a wife and children. His radio show, “Embouteillages” (Traffic Jams), was a daily platform for exposing corruption, social injustices, and powerful figures—with one notable exception: President Paul Biya, whom he spared from criticism.
Abducted from his home in the evening of January 17, 2023, his body was found the next morning stripped naked, bearing brutal signs of torture, approximately 25 kilometers from the capital.
After a prolonged judicial investigation led by Colonel-Pierrot Narcisse Nzie, 17 suspects were formally charged and remain in custody. The list includes top intelligence officials, a media executive, and a local mayor—all accused of roles in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of the outspoken journalist.
The trial, initially bogged down by procedural delays, finally advanced to substantive hearings on September 1, 2025, following its official opening on March 25, 2024.