"Our mission, to become the referees of the truth"

Jean Sinclair Maka Gbossokotto

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In a tense climate for press freedom, Central African journalist Jean Sinclair Maka Gbossokotto died on February 23, 2022 in Bangui, a "sudden" heart attack. Two years later, the enigmatic circumstances of his death left a bitter taste for his family, but also to his colleagues, carrying the same causes as JSMG.

Since 2019, the man, passionate about investigative journalism, had specialized in verification of information. Founding member of the Central African journalists consortium for the fight against disinformation (CJCLD), he had brought his stone to the building by founding Anti Infox RCA , for which he also held the post of editor -in -chief. For love for his job, Jean Sinclair is at all costs defended his function as a "watchdog of democracy". Quickly, he became the figure of the fight against disinformation in the country. He also transcribed his commitment to the motto of his newspaper: " Our mission, to become the referees of the truth".

On the morning of February 23, 2022, the journalist woke up nauseous. To the commissures of his lips, his wife notes a foamous white foam. He ends up died only a few minutes later. Thereafter, no autopsy was required and the causes of JSMG's death will be attributed to a simple heart attack. For those around him, the lack of light on the journalist's "spontaneous death" raises questions gradually transforming into accusations. “I do not believe in the official thesis of heart or respiratory problems. For me it is simply poisoning… ” says a colleague. If Jean Sinclair Maka Gbossokotto did not seem to have an enemy on a personal level, his work as defender of the truth would have become too embarrassing. But for whom?

Wagnerian "gag procedure"

In the Central African Republic (RCA), the Wagner militia terrorizes civilian populations. With impunity, they plunder, torture, kidnap and kill, thus flout any notion of human rights. In this unstable security context, the Central African people are struggling to make their voice heard, JSMG was one of the only local journalists to reveal the abuses of the Russian private paramilitary society.

Just by doing his job, Jean Sinclair Maka Gbossokotto would have signed his death warrant. For the journalist's relatives, he would have become too "embarrassing" for the militia, who would have feared that the revelation of the crimes committed in RCA in exceeding borders. A few months before his death, the man would have complained of "pressures" and "acts of intimidation" in the exercise of his functions.

Freedom of the press in danger

In RCA, freedom of the press is in free fall. Occupating 98th place in the annual classification of reporters without borders (RSF), the country reports an alarming situation. The number of media attacks are increasing there and several other journalists specializing in Fact Checking would also have lost their lives in disturbing circumstances. This is the case of Nadia Carine Fornel Poutou, active member of "Stopatènè", who died with her three children in the deadly fire in her house, on June 25, 2021. Only a few months later, on November 11, 2021, Salwa Salle, also journalist, perished in turn a "short illness".

It is thus common to note that the circumstances of death of journalists can raise some legitimate questions. We do not forget their memory, their work and the risks they had the courage to take to defend their profession and denounce certain scandals.