As Journalists Battle with a System
and ruthless individuals out to mussel the press at all cost. The kidnap and
the Assassination of Matineze Zogo
recently, summarizes all life threat that ensue in the Cameroon media world and
landscape.
Actually
from all indication and going by the rhythm of our times Cameroon is no longer
a safe environment to practice Journalism. This we are or this Reporter is saying
so from a firm witness point of view and as a victim. We, I mean the Cameroon
media is living witness to the gruesome murder of the Director of Amplitude FM
radio in Yaounde. What a sad, pathetic and humiliating situation to media men
and women in Cameroon. This scene or scenario, is just one amongst many which
requires a lot of courage to give you the hard core of each of the wanton kidnaps and serial killings.
The
one billion dollars questions is after Waziz, Zogo has followed, who next ? where
are Cameroonian journalists to hide their heads or go for refuge, is the
motivation of this write up. Are journalists in Cameroon safe and free to
practice? How many will die before the world comes to their aid? Why are the
powers that be dragging their legs to fish out culprits? This insightful
analyst is dumfounded.
Alors,
it is time to set records straight. Our dear audience fellow readers the
situation at hand has reached crescendo and we are no longer in the position to
continue swallowing the bitter peals.
Where
is, where are all those who have been bundled to jail out rightly for daring to say the truth? All living forces
are witness to the situation and the uncomfortable working environment of
journalists in Cameroon. Allow me and with your permission to dare utter that the
advent of operation sparrow hawk to fight embezzlement and corruption in
government circles and the Anglophone liberation war has led to the
incrimination of many a Journalists, faulted for reporting the truth and
jailed.
As
we drop our pen to further meditate on the situation reactions are come from
left and right even in avenues that one could never imagine to tell the world
how arching the macabre act was and worst of it electrocuted and mutilated to
death from autopsy report. My heart and I think yours should also be bleeding.
CASEJ,
the Cameroon Bar and Government had this to say, hope it meet the much desired attention;
***PRESS
RELEASE*** January 23, 2023
CAMASEJ
Calls for Urgent and Rigorous Investigation into Martinez Zogo's Murder
Yaounde,
Cameroon - The Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ)
is shocked and terrified by the abduction and subsequent assassination of Mbani
Zogo Arsène Salomon, also known as Martinez Zogo, Station Manager of privately-owned
Amplitude FM and host of the daily radio show Embouteillages.
Ever
since Zogo was abducted on January 17, 2023, by unidentified men near his home
in the capital Yaounde, his whereabouts remained unknown until January 22, 2023,
when his mutilated body in an advanced state of decomposition was found near the
town of Soa.
CAMASEJ
calls on authorities to urgently carry out a thorough, independent and
transparent
investigation into the abduction & assassination of Martinez Zogo-a credible
investigation whose findings must be made public. Those who masterminded as
well as those who ultimately executed such a gruesome murder must be held accountable
and punished for their crimes.
Impunity
for crimes against journalists and other media workers in Cameroon is unacceptable
and provocative. It must stop. It is still fresh in our minds that the killers of
Samuel Wazizi are yet to be brought to justice despite the Head of State
promising to investigate his killing.
We
urge the government to make public the findings of both investigations.
During
this trying moment, we do extend our heartfelt condolence to Zogo's family, friends
and close colleagues.
CAMASEJ
The President
National
Bureau Jade Viban
THE
CAMEROON BAR REACTS TO THE DEATH OF MARTINEZ ZOGO
The
Cameroon Bar condemns the abduction and brutal killing of Arsene Salomon Mbani
Zoga, more popularly known as Martinez Zogo, a journalist and managing director
of o Yaoundé-based private radio station The Bar notes with regret the fact
that a general atmosphere of Insecurity is steadily taking over our cities,
characterized by frequent killings of citizens like the case of a
lawyer-Hamster Diboma who was recently murdered in cold blood in Douca, amongst
many unknown or unreported cases
The
Cameroon Bar challenges the forces of law and order as well as our
investigation units to prove their worth by frocking down these assassins and
bringing them to book.
Done
at Yaounde this January 2 2023
MBAH
Eric MBAH Esq. The Bar President
MINISTRY
OF COMMUNICATION
GOVERNMENT
COMMUNIQUÉ
The
Government of the Republic hereby informs the national and international public
that the investigations opened to shed light on the disappearance of Mr ZOGO
Martinez, Head of the urban radio station called "Amplitude FM and anchor
of the daily program "Embouteillages", have led to the discovery of a
lifeless body in an advanced state of decomposition, last Sunday, January 22,
2023, around the locality of Soa, in the suburbs of Yaoundé.
The
clothes found at the site of this horrible discovery were acknowledged by the
wife of the deceased, to be his.
The
body that has, from all indications, suffered substantial physical abuse, was
carried to Yaoundé Central Hospital, where an autopsy was immediately conducted
for identification.
Investigations
are actively underway, to find and bring to book the perpetrators of this heinous,
unspeakable and unacceptable crime, which cannot be justified under any circumstances.
The
Government of the Republic condemns in the strongest terms this attack against
a media personality and reaffirms that Cameroon is a Rule of Law, where
freedoms are guaranteed; including press freedom, and where no one can and
should take justice into their own hands.
The
Minister of Communication extends the most heartfelt condolences of the
Government to the extended Communication family, and particularly to the family
of Mr ZOGO Martinez that has been hard-hit by this loss.
Yaoundé,
on 22 JAN 2023
The
Minister of Communication
Government
Spokesperson
