The Archbishop of Bafia, Cameroon, Mgr Jean Marie Benoît Balla, has reportedly committed suicide by jumping into the Sanaga River around the Ebebda Bridge in Cameroon.
The Catholic community launched a search for the clergyman after his Land Cruiser SUV with registration number CE 9503V was found on the Ebebda bridge yesterday afternoon about 90km from Yaounde, the capital city.
A search of the vehicle revealed his ID card, driver’s license and car documents.
According to Cameroon Info. Net, the bishop dropped a handwritten note on the letter head of the diocese that simply read “Je suis dans l’eau”, which translated into English as “I am in the water.”
The Governor of the Central Region, Naseri Paul Bea, the Divisional Officer of the locality and other administrative authorities were reported to have rushed to the scene with security forces.The Divisional Officer, D.O, of Ebebda, told journalists that a Reverend Father informed him about the incident at about 1pm.The DO said, “I immediately ran to the scene and saw for myself. The car is truly here on the bridge and the note the Bishop left suggests he jumped into the river.”
He also said no damage had been done to the car which indicates there was no violence.