Journalist Ephrem Yalike was once an instrument of propaganda for the Wagner mercenary group in Bangui. Having secretly fled the Central African Republic a few months ago, he exposes the workings of Russia's disinformation campaign to RFI.
In March 2022, Ephrem Fidèle Yalike Ngonzo was sitting in the back of a 4x4 which suddenly veered off a road on the outskirts of the CAR's capital, Bangui, and plunged into the forest.
When it came to a stop, a white man named Michel drew a gun and warned Yalike: "I'm only going to repeat myself once. If you lie to me, I'll kill you right here."
This confrontation came two and a half years after Yalike began collaborating with Russia's information service in the CAR.
He had opted for a career as a journalist over the priesthood, studying law and international relations at the Bangui seminary and going on to work for news site Le Potentiel Centrafricain.
This pro-government publication covered events organised by the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, which began operating in the CAR in early 2018.
Yalike's journey into his collaboration with Moscow began when he received a mysterious phone call requesting a meeting at a local cafe. There he met Michel, who introduced himself as the "director of communications" for the Russian mission in the CAR.
Through an investigation led by the Forbidden Stories consortium, Michel has been identified as Mikhail Prudnikov - a pro-Putin youth activist turned regional manager in Sudan for a group associated with Wagner's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
'Web of propaganda'
At the time, the CAR was struggling to recover from the political crisis of 2013: after several years of instability, the Seleka rebellion had finally entered Bangui and toppled president François Bozizé, bringing down an already fragile state.
Initially, Yalike was asked to write articles about the achievements of the Central African Armed Forces (Faca).
It was an attractive offer, in financial terms. "In the Central African media, very few people earn more than 150,000 CFA francs,"he said - approximately €225. Working with the Russians, his own situation improved significantly, as he found himself earning a salary of €760 per month.
But as the collaboration deepened, Yalike was drawn into a complex web of propaganda.
As his role expanded, he provided press reviews on Russian activities and was tasked with rebutting any criticism. He also engaged with other local media outlets, facilitating payments for articles that supported Russian perspectives - all the time operating under strict orders to keep this collaboration confidential.
He met with Michel frequently at the Roux military camp, Wagner's Bangui headquarters, where he collected payments and coordinated propaganda efforts - including radio broadcasts that featured "experts" paid to deliver pro-Russian opinions.
At the camp, the Russians also prepared pro-Moscow placards and banners used in the demonstrations they organised and financed.
To maximise his developing role as a "communications officer", Yalike was given 30 Android phones at the start of 2020, which he distributed to "influencers" - young people who would rally demonstrators and share, comment on or "like" fake news posts on social media platforms.
Manipulating public opinion
By late October 2022, he had arranged for experts to defend controversial decrees from the Central African government, collaborating closely with Russian operatives to manipulate public messaging.
Yalike's involvement also extended to logistics for demonstrations targeting foreign powers. He organised an event protesting against French influence in the country, distributing both slogans and funds, and ensuring media coverage.
The objective was to manufacture a narrative of public dissent against perceived external interference - specifically targeting France, the United States and the United Nations.
But the financial rewards were no longer enough to dispel Yalike's unease, especially once he began to detect mistrust from his Russian handlers. The tipping point came when he inadvertently disclosed information that upset Michel.
One morning, he was summoned to the Roux camp, where Michel confronted him over a publication detailing a Russian misstep. It was that day that he found himself in the 4x4 in the forest, with Michel demanding that he confess to his alleged infractions.
Yalike remained composed, denying any wrongdoing. No incriminating material was found on his phone and he was allowed return to Bangui.
Escaping Moscow's grip
For Yalike, this was the turning point - at which he finally acknowledged the reality of Russia's interests in the CAR, and how their presence justified violent acts by local armed groups.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine had forced Russia to cut its budget for Wagner's operations in the CAR. When Michel told Yalike that he would not need him as much, and consequently his salary would be cut, the journalist told his Russian handlers that he would need to look for new work opportunities in the media.
In 2022, he got in touch with Forbidden Stories, providing them with evidence of his experiences and the inner workings of the Russian propaganda machine within the CAR.
His escape from the country followed in early 2024 - but only after a tense airport encounter with police, through which he finally understood the full extent of Russian influence and the danger he had been facing.
On 6 February, as he waited to board a flight to France with his wife and child at Bangui airport, he was summoned by the border police for an intense interrogation, and his luggage was taken off the plane.
"The commissioner authorised my family to leave but said I had to stay because of the need for an investigation."
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Attempting to assert his rights, Yalike clashed with the officer. "He said to me: 'You think you're going to deal with us? You're going to deal with the Russians.' That's when I realised where the order came from." He was released, and went into hiding "to save [his] skin".
Having left his phone and identity papers on the officer's desk, when he eventually crossed the Ubangi River by boat and then travelled on to Europe, with the help of the Platform for the Protection of Whistleblowers in Africa, he arrived with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Today - as a refugee in France - Yalike is seeking redemption through his testimony, while recognising that many in the CAR already recognise the disinformation strategies employed by the Wagner group and the Kremlin.
He is calling for accountability, asking that journalists in the country do not overlook their role in spreading disinformation.
"When you get into this system, it's hard to get out," he said, knowing all too well the inherent risks of dissenting against powerful forces.
But his revelations 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 an investigation coordinated by Forbidden Stories, an international network that continues the work of journalists who have been silenced. It involves ten partner media outlets, including Radio France Internationale.
