Yaoundé Military Tribunal replaces commissioner in Martinez Zogo case

A presidential decree issued on August 31, 2026, has reassigned Lieutenant-Colonel Cerlin Belinga, the government commissioner at the Yaoundé Military Tribunal, to Maroua. Belinga, who has been a central figure in the high-profile murder trial of journalist Martinez Zogo, will serve as vice-president and investigating judge in Maroua.

Lieutenant-Colonel André Éric Atemengue Omgba, formerly of the Buea Military Tribunal, has been appointed to succeed Belinga in Yaoundé. The announcement occurred during active court proceedings, leading to a brief suspension of the hearing.

The Martinez Zogo case, which began in early 2023, involves seventeen defendants, including businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga and former DGRE director Léopold Maxime Eko Eko. The sudden change in judicial leadership comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the case and follows recent tensions regarding digital forensic evidence in the proceedings.