Colonel Jean-Pierre Otoulou took the stand to defend his handling of the inquiry into the death of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo. He told the court he had gathered material evidence, including indications that Bruno Bidjang, a collaborator of businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, one of the main defendants, had sought information about the investigation targeting him.

Bidjang tried to present himself as innocent, but the lawyer for Zogo’s heirs described the move as interference in the proceedings. “It simply confirms what we suspected from the start. He did try to infiltrate this joint commission in an inquiry that was supposed to concern him,” said Barrister Calvin Job.

The lieutenant-colonel says he acted on orders

In his exchanges with Colonel Otoulou, Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe of the DGRE admitted to planning the surveillance, abduction and torture of the Cameroonian presenter Martinez Zogo. He is also said to have assembled the operational teams using DGRE personnel. He nevertheless suggested he had received instructions from his superiors.

For the lawyers of Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, who headed the general directorate of intelligence at the time of the events, no evidence backs that account. “He went on a mission without receiving a mission order or funding. When he returned, he made no report to his superiors. The simple conclusion is that this was a personal initiative by Colonel Danwe,” said Barrister Ndjana Ndjana.

Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe also reiterated that the torture of Martinez Zogo did not take place in the Ekang building, which belongs to Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga.