Yaoundé: Martinez Zogo murder trial resumes ⁰

The trial over the murder of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo resumes on July 13 before the Yaoundé Military Court, with proceedings focused on the continued cross-examination of cybercrime expert Jean-Pierre Ouloumou, who analyzed mobile phones seized during the investigation.

The hearing picks up after proceedings were suspended on June 23 by presiding judge Colonel Jacques Baudouin Misse Njonè at the expert’s request after he showed signs of fatigue following two days of testimony. Accredited by Cameroon’s Ministry of Justice to serve courts in Yaoundé and Douala, Ouloumou was appointed in 2023 by then-investigating judge Lieutenant Colonel Aimé Florent Sikati Kamwo II. His assignment was to examine phones seized during the investigation into the kidnapping, torture, and killing of Martinez Zogo, whose body was found near Yaoundé in January 2023.

Digital evidence comes under close scrutiny

When the expert’s report was presented to the court on June 22 and 23, it triggered tense exchanges with lawyers representing the civil parties, who sought explanations on several issues they consider unresolved.

Among the questions raised was why Ouloumou had recommended that investigating authorities release businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, one of the main defendants. Lawyers for the civil parties argued that by making such a recommendation, the expert may have exceeded the technical scope of his assignment. They also questioned why that recommendation applied only to Amougou Belinga, even though Ouloumou said he had found no incriminating evidence on the phones of two other defendants.

Another issue concerned claims made in court by some defense lawyers that the expert had approached them in an attempt to influence their position. Ouloumou did not confirm those allegations during his testimony.

Defense resumes questioning

The hearing will resume where it left off, with questions from Jacques Mbuny, counsel for Lieutenant Colonel Justin Danwe, the former director of operations at the General Directorate for External Research (DGRE), who is among the principal defendants.

The DGRE occupies a central place in the prosecution’s case, as the investigation implicated alleged members of the intelligence service in the journalist’s kidnapping and murder. However, the court has yet to determine the criminal responsibility of each defendant.

After Mbuny’s questioning, lawyers for the remaining defendants are expected to examine the expert. A total of 17 people are standing trial in the case. Prosecutors will then have the opportunity to re-examine the witness and address issues raised during cross-examination.

Two days of hearings

Hearings are scheduled for July 13 and 14. They are expected to clarify the scope and significance of the cellphone forensic report, which has emerged as one of the main points of contention between the civil parties, the defense, and the prosecution.

Beyond the data extracted from the devices, the court will also assess Ouloumou’s methodology, the limits of his assignment, and the evidentiary value of his conclusions in a case where technical forensic evidence has become increasingly central.

Source: Sbbc