Cameroon Bishops condemn killing of journalist Martinez Zogo, call for justice

By Tata Mbunwe

Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in Cameroon have unanimously condemned the killing of popular, Yaounde-based radio host Martinez Zogo in January, stating that his killers should be fished out and punished.

The Bishops made the declaration in a speech presented by the President of Cameroon Episcopal Conference, His Grace Andrew Fuanya Nkea, during the conference’s 48th plenary in Yaounde.

The Archbishop of Bamenda noted that they have been saddened not only by Martinez Zogo’s gruesome killing, but by numerous assassinations that have been reported in the country recently.

Quoting one of the 10 commandments of the Bible, he warned Cameroonians against killing one another, reiterating the scripture which says, ‘Thou shall not kill’.

“In the recent months, we have been very saddened by the various extrajudicial killings that have been place in our society, top among which was the murder of the journalist, Martinez Zogo, in Yaounde. The Bishops of Cameroon, together with the universal Catholic Church, have always called on all peoples to respect human life, which is a gift from God from the moment of conception to its natural death,” His Grace Andrew Nkea said.

He added: “To kill someone is a sin against the fifth commandment of the decalogue, and this commandment clearly states, ‘Thou shall not kill’. It is our prayer and hope that the real killers of our fellow citizens in this country will be clearly identified and brought to book according to the laws of our country. We make a very strong appeal here to all Cameroonians to stop killing one another.”

The Bishops’ call for justice for Zogo comes three months after the journalist was abducted and his mutilated body dumped on the outskirts of Yaounde five days later.

Government has been living up to its promise to ensure justice is done for the late journalist, as over a dozen people, including top security officials, have been arrested for the killing.

The pace towards justice for Zogo has however remained slow and his family has promised to burry him only after his killers have been brought to book.