In March 2022, Ephrem Fidèle Yalike Ngonzo was sitting in the back of a 4×4 that suddenly veered off the road and plunged into the forest on the outskirts of Bangui, CAR’s capital.

When he stopped, a white man named Michel drew his gun and warned Yalike: “I’ll only repeat once. If you lie to me, I’ll kill you right here.”

This conflict took place two and a half years after Yalike began cooperating with Russia’s information service in the CAR.

He chose a career as a journalist over the priesthood, studying law and international relations at the Bangui seminary and continuing to work for the news website. Le Potentiel Centrafricain.

This pro-government coverage covered events organized by the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, which began operating in CAR in early 2018.

Yalike’s journey to collaborate with Moscow began when he received a mysterious phone call requesting to meet at a local cafe. There he met Michel, who introduced himself as the “communications director” of the Russian mission in CAR.

As a result of an investigation conducted by the Presidency Forbidden Stories consortiumMichel was identified as pro-Putin youth activist Mikhail Prudnikov, who is the regional director in Sudan of a group associated with the Wagner founder. Yevgeny Prigozhin.

‘Propaganda network’

At the time, CAR was trying to recover from the political crisis of 2013: after several years of instability, the Seleka rebellion had finally entered Bangui and Overthrown president François BozizéIt collapses the already fragile state.

Initially, Yalike was asked to write articles about the achievements of the Central African Armed Forces (Faca).

It was a financially attractive offer. “Very few people in Central African media earn more than 150,000 CFA francs (about €225),” he said. While working with the Russians, his own situation improved significantly as he realized he was earning a salary of €760 per month.

However, as cooperation deepened, Yalike was drawn into a complex. propaganda network.

As his mandate expanded, he conducted press reviews of Russia’s activities and was tasked with rebutting any criticism. He also contacted other local media outlets to facilitate payment for articles supporting Russian viewpoints, always working under strict orders to keep this collaboration secret.

He met frequently with Michel. Roux military campWagner’s headquarters in Bangui, where he collected payments and coordinated propaganda efforts; this included radio broadcasts featuring “experts” paid to present pro-Russian views.

Russians also made preparations in the camp Pro-Moscow banners Banners and banners used in demonstrations they organize and finance.

To maximize his evolving role as a “communications officer,” Yalike was given 30 Android phones in early 2020 and distributed them to “influencers,” young people who rally demonstrators and share, comment or “like” fake news posts. on social media platforms.

manipulate public opinion

By late October 2022, he had arranged for experts to defend controversial decisions by the Central African government and worked closely with Russian agents to manipulate public messages.

Yalike’s involvement also expanded the logistics of demonstrations targeting foreign powers. organized an event protesting French influence It distributes both slogans and funds in the country and ensures media coverage.

The aim was to produce a narrative of public opposition to perceived foreign intervention, specifically targeting France, the United States, and the United Nations.

But financial rewards were no longer enough to assuage Yalike’s uneasiness, especially when he began to detect the distrust of Russian administrators. The turning point came when she inadvertently revealed information that upset Michel.

One morning he was summoned to Roux’s camp, where Michel confronted him over a detailed publication about him. Russia’s wrong step. That day, he found himself in a 4×4 in the woods and Michel demanded that he confess to his alleged transgressions.

Yalike remained cool and denied any wrongdoing. No incriminating material was found on his phone and he was allowed to return to Bangui.

Escape from Moscow’s clutches

For Yalike, this was a turning point in which he finally acknowledged the reality of Russia’s interests in the CAR and how their presence legitimized acts of violence by local armed groups.

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine had forced Russia to cut the budget allocated to Wagner’s activities in CAR. When Michel told Yalike that he would not need him that much and therefore his salary would be cut, the journalist told Russian administrators that he should look for new job opportunities in the media.

He contacted Forbidden Stories in 2022, providing them with evidence of his experiences and the inner workings of the group. Russian propaganda machine In the VEHICLE.

His escape from the country occurred in early 2024; but this was after a tense encounter with the police at the airport, where he finally realized the extent of Russian influence and the danger he faced.

On February 6, while he was waiting at Bangui airport with his wife and child to board a plane to France, he was called for an intense interrogation by the border police and his luggage was taken off the plane.

“The commissioner allowed my family to leave, but said I had to stay due to the investigation.”

Trying to defend his rights, Yalike clashed with the police. “He said to me: ‘You think you’ll take care of us? You’ll take care of the Russians.’ That’s when I realized where the order came from.” He was released and went into hiding “to save his skin.”

After leaving his phone and identity documents on the officer’s desk, he crossed the Ubangi River by boat and then set out for Europe with the help of the police. Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in AfricaHe arrived with nothing but the clothes on his back.

As a refugee in France today, Yalike is seeking redemption, as he puts it, while acknowledging that many in the CAR already recognize the disinformation strategies employed by the Wagner group and the Kremlin.

He calls for accountability for the country’s journalists, asking them not to lose sight of their role in spreading disinformation.

“Once you get into this system, it’s hard to get out,” he said, knowing full well the risks inherent in opposing powerful forces.

But his statements serve as a timely reminder for countries where Russian influence seeks to manipulate public opinion and undermine stability.

^{THis testimony was collected as part of a coordinated investigation. Forbidden StoriesAn international network that continues the work of silenced journalists. It involves ten partner media organisations, including Radio France Internationale.}