Yaoundé Military Tribunal: Ayissi Nanga's Martinez Zogo Testimony Contradicted

• Lieutenant-Colonel Parfait Ayissi Nanga testified for three days before the Tribunal militaire de Yaoundé regarding the Martinez Zogo case.
• His testimony, as the 36th witness, was marked by significant contradictions and inconsistencies under cross-examination.
• Ayissi Nanga detailed observations from the abduction vehicle and a crime scene visit, including Zogo's transfer between vehicles.
• He suggested commando members admitted to torturing Zogo, including severing an ear and twisting an ankle, but denied killing him.
• The witness explicitly stated that not all abuses inflicted on Martinez Zogo could be attributed to the commando members, implying another perpetrator.

The Lieutenant-Colonel's extensive testimony, spanning three days, ultimately failed to withstand rigorous questioning, revealing numerous contradictions, inconsistencies, and a notable lack of concordance on several critical points.

Lieutenant-Colonel Parfait Ayissi Nanga, appearing as the 36th witness for the Government Commissioner, provided extensive testimony before the Tribunal militaire de Yaoundé during sessions held on October 26, 27, and 28. His appearance was intended to clarify previous statements made during his primary interrogation by the Government Commissioner, as well as actions he undertook in his capacities as head of the territorial group and a member of the joint investigation commission.

The Lieutenant-Colonel's extensive testimony, spanning three days, ultimately failed to withstand rigorous questioning, revealing numerous contradictions, inconsistencies, and a notable lack of concordance on several critical points. These discrepancies emerged particularly during cross-examination by civil party lawyers. The areas of concern included his depositions regarding actions attributed to the commando members, the contentious conclusions of the forensic doctor's report, and inconsistencies related to alleged evidence that could potentially exonerate Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, who was arrested during the preliminary investigation phase. The context of his depositions and allegations of bribes also raised questions.

During his testimony in the Martinez Zogo case, Lieutenant-Colonel Ayissi Nanga recounted his involvement in the initial stages of the investigation. He detailed a visit to the Biyem-assi Brigade, where the Prado vehicle used in Martinez Zogo's abduction was located. His observations inside the vehicle included a strong odor of human excrement, numerous traces of black used oil, which were also present on the vehicle's ceiling, and some fine white powders.

Ayissi Nanga further described a subsequent visit to the actual crime scene, which occurred on the night of Saturday, February 4, 2023, around 8 PM. This operation involved two groups: his group, which included Warrant Officer Ebo'o Clément, and a second group led by Lieutenant-Colonel Bialo and Corporal Lenoir Dawa Bosco. The objective was to retrace the route and establish a timeline for the operation. He stated that upon reaching Soa, Warrant Officer Ebo'o indicated a specific location where Martinez Zogo had been transferred from the Prado to a pickup truck. This transfer was reportedly necessary because Ebo'o, who was following the Prado, believed the vehicle had been compromised by an incident at the Brigade, making the pickup a safer option. At that point, the victim, having been subjected to taser shocks, had defecated.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ayissi Nanga's testimony also touched upon the torture inflicted on Martinez Zogo. He suggested that members of the commando had smeared the victim with motor oil and sprinkled him with white powder. Crucially, he stated that the commando members admitted to having tortured Zogo, including severing an ear and twisting an ankle, but explicitly denied killing him.

In a striking assertion, Ayissi Nanga declared that "one cannot attribute all the abuses inflicted on the victim to these soldiers." He went on to state that "the assassin must also tell us the abuses he inflicted on the same person." These statements effectively sought to exonerate the commando members from the full extent of the abuses, implying that another party was responsible for the ultimate demise of Martinez Zogo. Such attempts at partial exoneration, particularly when coupled with the identified inconsistencies in his testimony, raise significant questions for the Cameroon military justice system regarding the comprehensive investigation into the Affaire Martinez Zogo and the potential involvement of suspects like Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga.

This case underscores the critical importance of scrutinizing witness testimony for inconsistencies and contradictions in Cameroonian military tribunals. Lawyers should be prepared to leverage or challenge such discrepancies, particularly when a witness attempts to exonerate certain parties, as this can significantly impact the factual narrative and potential outcomes in complex criminal investigations.

Source: Original reporting via Actu Cameroun.