UPDATE Bishop Commits Suicide

Bishop Jean-Marie Balla (58) of Bafia, Camerun, seems to have committed suicide by throwing himself into the river Sanaga. On Wednesday afternoon, his white Toyota Land Cruiser, parked on the bridge Ebebda, 78 km from the capital Yaoundè, was accidentally spotted by a priest, who was driving along the same way.

On the co-driver's seat were Balla's personal documents and a signed note "I am in the water". The body has not yet been found. People close to the bishop deny that Balla showed any signs of an imminent suicide. According to a watchman the bishop left in his car around 11.00 p.m., against his normal behavior. He furtively told the watchman that he was driving to Yaoundè.

On Thursday the corpse of the bishop was found in the water.

Picture: Jean-Marie Balla, © Press Picture Diocese of Bafia, #newsYsgwdqqtae