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An influential businessman was arrested Monday in Cameroon as part of the investigation into the murder of journalist Martinez Zogo, who regularly denounced racketeering and corruption in his country.
An influential businessman, Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, was arrested Monday, February 6, in Cameroon as part of the investigation into the recent murder of journalist Martinez Zogo, kidnapped and then killed following being tortured, announced his media group and an official from the Ministry of Communication.
Martinez Zogo was the general manager of the private radio station Amplitude FM, and star host of a daily program, Embouteillage, in which he regularly denounced racketeering and corruption in this Central African country ruled with an iron fist since more than 40 years by the same man, President Paul Biya, and his all-powerful party.
Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, reputed to be close to several ministers and senior state officials, was “arrested (…) at dawn” and “is currently in the premises of the State Secretariat for Defense (SED) “, the institution at the head of the gendarmerie, announced the media group L’Anecdote, owned by Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga.
“Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga was arrested very early this morning, he is cited as a suspect in the assassination of Martinez Zogo”, confirmed to AFP Denis Omgba Bomba, director of the National Media Observatory, a body attached to the Ministry of Communications.
Committed once morest corruption
Martinez Zogo particularly denounced at the microphone of his program Bottling of alleged corruption cases in which he regularly questioned by name Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, owner of numerous business groups in the fields of banking, finance, insurance , real estate and the media, including the daily L’Anecdote, the Vision 4 and Télésud television stations as well as the Satellite FM radio station, all reputed to be in favor of power.
Several people were arrested in Cameroon, “strongly suspected” of being involved in the murder, the presidency had already announced a few days ago.
Abducted on January 17 by unknown persons in the suburbs of the capital in front of a gendarmerie post, Arsène Salomon Mbani Zogo, known as “Martinez”, 50, was found dead five days later. “His body has obviously suffered significant abuse,” the government announced.
With AFP
