The investigation into the murder of journalist Norbert Zongo, who was killed in 1998 while investigating criminal allegations against the president’s family, has been dropped. According to reports, on 19 July a magistrate judge granted the request by prosecutors to dismiss the charges against Marcel Kafando, a member of the presidential guard, who was indicted in 2001 in the killing of the former editor of the weekly L’Indépendant.

At the time of his murder, Zongo was investigating whether François Compaoré, brother and special advisor to President Blaise Compaoré, took part in the January 1998 torture and killing of his driver, David Ouedraogo. The chauffeur was suspected of stealing 20 million CFA francs (then US$27,000) from Compaoré. The bullet-ridden bodies of Zongo and three other men were found in Zongo’s burned-out vehicle on 13 December, 1998, some 80 kilometres outside Ouagadougou.

Prosecutors asked for the charges against Marcel Kafando to be dropped after their main witness expressed doubts in May 2006 about his previous testimony, according to news reports. A lawyer for Zongo’s family has said he will appeal the decision.

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