Colonel Jean-Pierre Otoulou took the witness stand to defend the conduct of his investigation into the death of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo. He insisted that he had gathered solid evidence, particularly regarding attempts by Bruno Bidjang—at the time an associate of businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, one of the main defendants—to obtain information about inquiries that concerned him.
While Bidjang tried to prove his innocence, the lawyer representing Martinez Zogo’s heirs denounced what he called interference in the judicial process. “This simply reveals what we suspected from the start. He effectively tried to infiltrate the joint commission in an investigation that was supposed to concern him,” said Attorney Calvin Job.
Lieutenant-colonel claims 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 also acknowledged assembling the operational teams using DGRE personnel. However, he suggested that he had received instructions from his superiors.
Lawyers for Léopold Maxime Eko Eko, who was director general of general intelligence at the time of the events, argued that no evidence supports Danwe’s account. “He went on a mission without receiving any mission order or funding. When he returned, he made no report to his hierarchy. The simple conclusion is that this was a personal initiative by Colonel Danwe,” said Attorney Ndjana Ndjana.
Lieutenant-Colonel Justin Danwe further reiterated that the torture of Martinez Zogo did not take place in the Ekang building, which is owned by Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga.
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