The high-profile trial surrounding the assassination of Martinez Zogo, the Cameroonian radio personality found dead in January 2023 after enduring extreme violence, reached a chilling turning point on June 1, 2026. In a courtroom in Yaoundé, a video was projected showing the victim bloodied and crying out for help—a document recovered from the digital data of one of the suspects.

Proceedings continued this Monday at the military tribunal in Yaoundé regarding the Martinez Zogo case. The host of Amplitudes FM, famous for his bold denunciations of public figures in Cameroun, was kidnapped and murdered over three years ago. The day’s hearing focused on the testimony of Professor Georges Bell Bitjocka, an IT expert tasked with analyzing the contents of the defendants’ mobile phones.

For the first time, numerous screenshots and a video capturing the torture of Martinez Zogo were displayed. The footage depicts the victim with his hands tied behind his back, a visible gash on his ear, and his face covered in blood as he begs for mercy.

Shock and tears in the courtroom

The diffusion of these images left the courtroom in a state of paralysis. Many attendees were moved to tears during the screening. Ludovic Zabze, representing Amplitude FM, noted the gravity of the moment: “At the end of the video, I looked at the defendants, and even they appeared defeated. Emotionally, it is incredibly heavy.”

The video was found within the Google account of Godje Oumarou, an accused member of the commando unit suspected of carrying out the killing. Evidence presented showed that on the evening of January 17, 2023, Oumarou was in communication with Justin Danwe, the director of operations at the General Directorate of External Research (DGRE). Danwe reportedly ordered him to tell another accomplice to “take images of the mouse,” a term identified as a code name for Martinez Zogo.

In contrast, Maître Séri Zokou, defending the interests of former DGRE Director General Maxime Eko Eko, maintained that his client has no connection to the crimes. He argued that the forensic elements provided to the investigators and the judge contained nothing linking Eko Eko to the digital evidence found on the phones.

Professor Georges Bell Bitjocka also confirmed he had scrutinized the devices of other key figures in the case, including Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, Bruno Bidjang, and Martin Savom. Maître Calvin Job, lawyer for the Zogo family, expressed confidence in the findings, stating that if the court relies on this technical report, the vast majority of the investigative work is already solidified.

Context of the Martinez Zogo affair

On the morning of January 22, 2023, the people of Cameroun were horrified to learn of the discovery of the lifeless body of Arsène Salomon Mbani Zogo, known professionally as Martinez Zogo. At 51, he was the host of the popular morning show “Embouteillages,” where he frequently criticized corruption and societal ills, though he remained a vocal supporter of President Paul Biya.

After being abducted on the night of January 17, his body was eventually found naked in a field roughly 25 kilometers from the capital, showing clear signs of severe physical abuse. The investigation, led by military judge Pierrot Narcisse Nzie, resulted in 17 defendants being sent to trial, all of whom remain in custody. Among them are Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe, media mogul Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, and Stéphane Martin Savom, the mayor of Bibey.

Following lengthy procedural delays, the trial for assassination, torture, and kidnapping officially opened on March 25, 2024, at the Yaoundé military tribunal, with substantive debates beginning in September 2025.