Martinez Zogo, the editor-in-chief of the radio broadcaster Amplitude FM, was abducted and killed after he reported on alleged public embezzlement, which involved a “prominent businessman”, according to a statement by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The CPJ reported that 67 journalists and media workers were killed in 2022 — one more than the 66 reported by the International Press Institute, and the highest number since 2018, when 88 were killed. 

“At least 41 journalists and media workers were killed in direct connection with their work,” said Jennifer Dunham, the CPJ’s deputy editorial director, in a report published on 24 January. The motive for the other 26 deaths was still being investigated, said the report.

Most of the killings were in Ukraine (15), Mexico (13) and Haiti (seven). Africa saw six killings — in Chad, Central African Republic, Somalia and Kenya.

“In sub-Saharan Africa in 2022, we have two journalists killed in Somalia and another two in Chad, that we could determine were killed in connection to their work,” said Angela Quintal, the CPJ’s Africa programme coordinator.

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

“There are a further two whose murders we continue to investigate to see whether they were in connection to their work, namely in Central African Republic and Kenya. And this year, the first confirmed case of a journalist killed for their work is the one in Cameroon, Martinez Zogo.”

The four journalists who were killed with a confirmed connection to their work died because of being involved in dangerous assignments or during crossfires, said Quintal.

The African journalists killed in 2022 were Evariste Djaï-Loramadji and Narcisse Oredje in Chad, Jean Saint-Clair Maka Gbossokotto in Central African Republic, Arshad Sharif in Kenya and Ahmed Mohamed Shukur and Mohamed Isse Hassan in Somalia.

Globally, the journalists who were killed worked on a range of topics including crime, corruption, political unrest, environmental matters and local politics.

Last year also saw the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist. She was shot while reporting on an Israeli military raid in the Palestinian West Bank, said the CPJ report.

“The Israeli government to date has failed to pursue a transparent investigation or take steps to bring those responsible to justice,” the report added. DM