The article dedicated to Claude Assira, Cameroonian lawyer, highlights his expertise and his critical analysis of the imbroglio in the Martinez Zogo affair. In his column published in the press, he expresses his concerns about the interference of political power in the functioning of justice.
According to Claude Assira, the turnaround on December 1 in this affair is worrying. In less than a day, two documents attributed to the same investigating judge contradict each other concerning the provisional release of two people under investigation. In a first document, the judge ordered their release, but a few hours later, another document asserted that the release order was not authentic, leading to the accused being kept in detention.
For the lawyer, this situation is a real disaster, both for the memory of Martinez Zogo and for the image of Cameroonian justice. He emphasizes that this case should have shed light on the circumstances and motives of the journalist’s assassination, but the reversal of justice calls into question this quest for truth.
According to Claude Assira, the initial release order was authentic. He asserts that the judge rendered a reasoned decision and that the registry notified it to the lawyers, which testifies to its authenticity. In addition, he emphasizes that the prosecution, as a political actor involved in the investigation, would have been associated with this decision.
The lawyer points out the intervention of external third parties, namely actors in the political field, who would have influenced the judge and led to the backpedaling of justice. He questions the motivations for these interventions and underlines the danger represented by the interference of political power in the functioning of justice.
The article highlights Claude Assira’s critical position and allows the reader to learn about his analysis of the situation. It underlines the importance of the independence of justice and invites us to reflect on the consequences of its exploitation by political power.