The trial for the assassination of journalist Martinez Zogo took a turn during the hearings on March 9 and 10, 2026, at the Yaoundé Military Tribunal. The defense of Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, former head of the General Directorate of External Research (DGRE), worked to deconstruct the theory of a state crime, instead suggesting the action of a "covert cell" operating outside any regular chain of command.
Martinez Zogo, known for his radio show denouncing corruption, was kidnapped on January 17, 2023, and his body was found on January 22 in Ngolbassé. The investigation quickly targeted executives of the DGRE, leading to the arrest of Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, accused of complicity in the assassination. Seventeen people are currently on trial in this case.
The testimonies of three senior DGRE officials marked the recent hearings. These witnesses claimed that the assassination was orchestrated by a cell acting outside the hierarchy. Eko Eko's lawyers believe that these testimonies discredit the initial version that presented their client as the main person responsible. The defense also refuted the existence of a direct motive linked to alleged insults by Martinez Zogo towards the former director of the DGRE.
Another key element of the prosecution collapsed with the formal denial of family ties between Eko Eko and Martin Stéphane Savom, another defendant. The defense insisted on the absence of personal or professional relationships between the two men, denouncing a "coalition of unnatural interests" aimed at designating Eko Eko as a scapegoat to protect the true sponsors.
Telephone expert reports revealed that the perpetrators had been ordered to erase traces of transactions, thus escaping the control of management. Pressure and destabilization attempts were also allegedly aimed at Eko Eko's entourage, while suspicious funding offers were allegedly made to him. The defense warned against the introduction of new, unauthenticated procedural documents, potentially manipulated to discredit key witnesses.
As the trial enters a decisive phase, the question of the truth about the control of Cameroonian security apparatuses and the motivations behind the assassination of Martinez Zogo remains. The outcome of this trial will determine not only individual responsibilities, but also Cameroon's ability to shed light on this complex and sensitive case.
