Suspected killers of Martinez Zogo arrested.

The release announcing the fresh development into the heinous act that has contributed in further tarnishing the image of the country, already battling with damning human rights records, was read over national radio yesterday.

The release by the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, was issued on the instructions of the Head of State, Paul Biya.

The release which has brought a seeming relief to the media corps though heavily criticised as not strong enough for the gravity of the crime being investigated, failed to disclose the identity of the arrested suspects.

The announcement which also failed to disclose the number of suspects already behind bars also shockingly gave to understanding that some of those linked to brutal murder of the journalist are on the run.

“The Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic hereby informs the public that in pursuance of the instructions from the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Biya, a mixed Gendarmerie-Police commission of inquiry has been setup to shed light on the assassination of the journalist, Arsène Salomon Mbami Zogo, also known as Martinez Zogo,” partly read the release.

It added that: “Investigations carried out so far have led to the arrest of several individuals highly suspected of being involved in this heinous crime. Others remain wanted”.

The release from Ngoh Ngoh furthered that “ongoing interrogations and the ensuing judicial proceedings will help to determine the level of involvement of each suspect and establish the identities of all those connected in one way or the other with the assassination of Martinez Zogo”.

While paying a “special tribute to the late journalist Martinez Zogo,” President Biya restated “his support to the profession as a whole” in the “tragic circumstances”.

Biya also extended to the “family of the deceased his heartfelt condolences and assures them of the sympathy of the entire nation”.

The release which failed to squarely mention that the killing of the journalist was an attack on press freedom rather reaffirmed the resolve of President Biya “to keep up his struggle for democracy, human rights, good governance and progress, together with the government and all Cameroonians of goodwill”.

Gov’t battling to cleanse battered image

President Biya had last January 27 through the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, ordered the National Gendarmerie to, in collaboration with the General Delegation for National Security, investigate the killing of the journalist.

The decision of the Head of State followed pressure mounted by civil society actors, rights defenders, media associations, politicians, and the international community, for thorough investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Zogo.

Revisiting the kidnap, killing of Zogo

The media landscape was gripped by fear of the unknown, shock and consternation when the lifeless body of Martinez Zogo was found in a state of decomposition in the locality of Ebogo, near Soa, on the outskirts of Yaounde.

Zogo who was Station Manager of Amplitude FM Radio. He was also anchor of popular program, ‘Embouteillages’. He went missing Tuesday January 17. 

Media reports quoted Zogo’s neighbours as saying they saw unidentified men outside his home several nights before his abduction.

He had through his ‘Embouteillages’ program recently commented on alleged embezzlement in public-sector procurement that benefitted some high-profile individuals of the regime.