By Paschal Norbert
EBOLOWA, CAMEROON, JULY 1, 2025(CISA) – A parish priest in the Catholic Diocese of Ebolowa, Cameroon, has suspended two catechists following accusations of sorcery allegedly linked to the death of another priest, Fr Raphaël Magloire Mintong, who perished in a car accident just 10 months into his priesthood.
In a decree dated June 28, 2025, and seen by CISA, the Parish Priest of Saints Philippe and Jacques Parish in Ngoulémakong announced the immediate suspension of Mr Benoite Onana, the head catechist, and Mr. Gérard Zambo, another catechist from the village of Messok.
“In view of the denunciation made against them as being responsible for the death of Father Raphaël Magloire Mintong,” and “in view of their counter-testimony before the people of God,” the priest cited their alleged involvement in sorcery and the scandal it has caused among the faithful.
The suspension follows the circulation of a disturbing, undated video on social media in which the two men allegedly detail the sorcery rituals they claim to have used to cause Fr Mintong’s death. The video, which has been widely shared across platforms, has deeply unsettled the local Catholic community and prompted urgent responses from Church authorities.
Fr Raphaël Magloire Mintong died in a tragic car accident on April 20, 2025, while traveling with fellow priest Fr Anicet Mbozo’o and a third passenger, Fr Anicet’s younger brother. The three were headed to visit Fr Raphaël’s mother after celebrating the Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord in their respective parishes. According to an April 21 statement by the Catholic Diocese of Ebolowa, their vehicle crashed on the Ebolowa–Minlamizibi road. Fr Raphaël succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while Fr Anicet was left in critical condition and remains hospitalized at Ebolowa’s referral hospital. The third passenger suffered only minor injuries.
While grief continues to envelop the diocese, Church authorities have not established any scientific or spiritual link between the priest’s death and the allegations of witchcraft. The Cameroonian civil authorities have also not launched a formal investigation or pressed charges against the two catechists. Their suspension, at this stage, remains an internal disciplinary and precautionary measure by the parish.
The situation has cast a spotlight on the persistence of traditional beliefs and fears surrounding witchcraft in parts of Africa, including within Christian communities. The Catechism of the Catholic Church unequivocally condemns all forms of occult practice. Paragraph 2117 of the Catechism states: “All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers… are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone.”
Canon Law also addresses such matters with gravity. According to Canon 1369 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, any member of the faithful who publicly incites hatred or provokes scandal among the faithful through superstition or heretical acts can be subject to penalties, including excommunication, depending on the severity of the case.
