Germain Cyrille Ngota Ngota

Germain Cyrille Ngota Ngota (also known as Bibi Ngota; died 22 April 2010), a Cameroonian, worked as an editor for the Cameroun Express in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He was the first journalist to die in the line of duty in Cameroon since 1992.

The Federation of African Journalists said Ngota had died from lack of medical attention while in prison for his reporting. In its report, the organisation said Cameroon's imprisonment and use of torture or intimidation in the cases of 13 journalists in the previous year made it one of the worst places for journalists and press freedom in Africa. Two other journalists were imprisoned with him and freed months after his death but the charges against them were not dropped.

Death On 5 February 2010 Ngota was arrested along with three other journalists from different publications. The journalists were held for several days and questioned. They were released, then charged with falsifying a government document. Ngota and two other journalists were rearrested and held in Kondengui Central Prison, Yaoundé, Cameroon. On 22 April, Ngota died under suspicious circumstances. Ngota's widow denied this claim and his family requested an investigation be done that included the family and was separate from any possible government interference.

Impact Ngota was the first journalist to die in the line of duty in Cameroon since 1992, and as a result it drew more light to the state of affairs there for journalists.

Reactions Irina Bokova, The Director-General of UNESCO, said "The detention and death of journalists represents a loss for any society; the loss of a pair of eyes and of a voice that can inform the public about issues that concern us all. I trust that the authorities will do all they can to shed light on this tragic death..."

The Committee to Protect Journalists along with Reporters Without Borders and other groups pushed the government of Cameroon to investigate Ngota's death further.