By Tata Mbunwe
Investigations on the murder of popular radio host Martinez Zogo are taking a more serious turn on media tycoon, Amougou Belinga, as new evidence has revealed he had transferred 35 million francs CFA to officials of the General Directorate for External Research, DGRE, who finished the job.
Reports say searches conducted on his mobile phones as well as testimonies from other suspects have revealed Belinga was the instigator of the Zogo’s killing.
It is also reported that the journalist was killed on the basement of a building owned by Amougou Belinga and he was on the scene when Zogo was reportedly murdered by Justin Danwe, Director of Special Operations at DGRE.
“Sources very close to the investigation report the discovery of damning new evidence of a payment of 35 million CFA francs (about 53,000 euros) from Belinga to Danwe,” Reporters Without Borders said in a new report.
“This money allegedly passed through the account of retired colonel Etoundi Nsoe, the former presidential guard commander who is Belinga’s father-in-law and unofficial head of his security.”
Justin Danwe’s earlier testimony to investigators about Amougou Belinga’s alleged involvement in Zogo’s gruesome murder is believed to have led to his arrest.
The billionaire owner of l’Anecdote newspaper, Vision 4 television and other businesses was arrested in his home on February 6.
RSF said a group of about 50 gendarmes encircled his guarded home on Monday morning and arrested him alongside his father-in-law Raymond Etoundi Nsoe, and the manager of his Vision 4 television, Bruno Bidjang.
Belinga’s lawyer, former Bar President Charles Tchoungang, told RSF no legal procedure was followed in his arrest and subsequent investigations done against him, including a search conducted on his phones and house.
Barrister Tchoungang cancelled, in the last hour, a press conference he had scheduled in Yaounde on Thursday, February 9.
31 suspects already arrested
Reporters Without Borders notes that at least 31 suspects have been arrested in connection with Martinez Zogo’s murder.
Among them are high profile people, including Amougou Belinga, Etoundi Nsoe, Maxime Eko and Justin Danwe.
It is believed they could be moved from provisional detention into pretrial detention by the end of this week, and this will mean their transfer from the State Secretariat for Defence to the Yaounde Central Prison, Kondengui.
Maxime Eko Eko, head of the DGRE, and his close ally, Justin Danwe, were reportedly to execute Martinez Zogo’s kidnap, torture and murder.
“The evidence against Eko, the DGRE’s boss – who is being held in a cell near Belinga’s – also seems to be damning. He is the owner of the Prado SUV used to abduct Zogo,” RSF said, quoting a source who said “it’s hard to imagine his men borrowing it without telling him.”
RSF said about 20 DGRE members have been arrested in line with the Zogo case.
Based on testimonies from suspects, RSF reported that the DGRE assassins took instructions from the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, before killing Martinez Zogo.
Mimi Mefo Info
