Cameroon: Body parts of corpse “stolen” at Kribi District Hospital, family threatens to protest

A family has accused the Kribi District Hospital of mutilating the corpse of their brother. Mr Mfoula Oscar Seth, who died on 15^th April 2017  due to poor health, was kept at the mortuary of the hospital.

Upon burial, the family realized the corpse of their brother displayed some unusual features.  Parts of the body had been chopped off, and there were sutures on the corpse.

Cameroon-Infor.Net reports (citing Le Messager) that the family claimed to have observed during the removal of the corps that the undertakers had simply dressed the corps, without any washing.

But during burial, the family discovered that there was a deep scar on the lower part of the deceased’s jaw. Further scrutinizing revealed that both sides of the throat carried a hole. Another hole was discovered below the stomach, by the right.

A family member undressed the corpse just to find sutures around the neck and stomach, and blood stains on the shirt of the resting man. “Touching those areas felt like a piece of cardboard,” Cameroon-Info.Net reports, quoting the alleged relative.

The case was reported to a prosecutor who transferred it instantly to the  Kribi gendarmerie brigade. Reports say the said prosecutor has been following the case since then, all in vain. No hearing has been observed, they say.

In the meantime, the director of the hospital is believed by locals to be “involved” in the incident. Rumours of body parts trafficking have been going round in recent times at the hospital.

The director, who is believed to have been implicated in another scandalous case at Laquintinie in Daoula, reportedly fired the main mortuary guard at the hospital, just to bring in three new faces without the approval of the managing board of the hospital.

But Dr Tsagadigui  Jean-Gustave is yet to react to the claims.

As the deceased’s family threatens to take to the street if nothing concrete is done, there is growing concern among people of how safe our hospitals are.