A mummified body has been found buried beneath a concrete slab at a property linked to Mercy of God Ministry in Nkoabang, Yaoundé, as Cameroonian authorities continue their search for Nigerian cleric Kedi Samuel Kenechukwu, also known as Ekedi Samuel.
Cameroon Tribune reported on Tuesday that police officers found the body on September 19 at about 9am during an investigation involving Kenechukwu, who founded the ministry and is wanted over allegations including human trafficking, arrest and kidnapping.
Camer.be described him as “a Nigerian prophet operating in Cameroon since 2018.”
Investigators reportedly uncovered a white-and-gold coffin about 1.5 metres underground. Inside was a body believed at first sight to be a woman, dressed in a blue traditional outfit with gold embroidery.
“The lid is broken. Inside, a body, a lady at first sight, dressed in a traditional blue outfit with gold embroidery, in a state of mummification, rests on a padding. This is not a normal grave,” the newspaper said.
The discovery followed vandalism by residents at parts of the property. Authorities were awaiting approval to conduct further searches. The deceased’s identity and cause of death remain unknown.
A September 9 search of the site had uncovered five vehicles, several hundred kilogrammes of food, working freezers, about 30 rooms and a two-metre-deep pit of unknown purpose.
Earlier, on September 6, 20 people, including 10 women, eight men and two children, were found in a basement at another ministry-linked property in Ngousso.
Kenechukwu remains on the run, while border police and Interpol have reportedly been alerted. The investigation continues.
