Nanga-Eboko: Hunter mistakenly shoots colleague dead

Ekouma Zephyrin told gendarmes he shot an animal late at night only to discover that it was a fellow hunter.

Tragedy struck on June 10, 2016, at about 3 am in Mebolé Village, about 25 km from Nanga-Eboko, the headquarters of Upper Sanaga Division in the Centre Region. The town is located 160 km from Yaounde. A local hunter, Ekouma Zephyrin, 41, shot dead Essimi Paul Clément, 46, another hunter from the same village.

Senior Warrant Officer Djietcheu Raphael, Head of the Nanga-Eboko Gendarmerie Post, told Cameroon Tribune on phone on June 10, 2016, that Ekouma, who had gone on a hunting expedition alone at night, claimed he saw what he thought were the eyes of a wild animal. A

fter firing on the target, he approached it only to discover to his horror that it was after all a human being - Essimi Paul Clément, a fellow hunter. Meanwhile, Ekouma had earlier bade farewell to Essimi Paul at about 5 pm in the village on June 9, 2016, before taking off for the forest.

Djietcheu Raphael said the victim died where he was shot. Following the accident, Ekouma Zephyrin, reported himself to gendarmes in Nanga-Eboko. Accompanied by his men and a nurse from the Nanga-Eboko District Hospital, Senior Warrant Officer Djietcheu and the team trekked to the site, located beyond River Sanaga.

He told Cameroon Tribune that they found the body lying on the ground and facing upwards, with the impact of the bullets clearly visible on the side of the head.

The gendarmerie officer added that by the body of Essimi Paul Clément was his hunting rifle, sack and torch. Where the body lay appeared well arranged as if the victim was resting before he was shot, the officer suggested.

Meanwhile, the corpse was moved to the Nanga-Eboko District Hospital Mortuary while investigations continue. In the meantime, Ekouma Zephyrin is in gendarmerie custody.