By: Problyn J. Alpha
Shock and grief have engulfed the family and church community of the late Assistant Pastor Edward Ngaujah, whose partially decomposed body was discovered in his bedroom at Tankoro Camp, Koidu City, Kono District. The discovery was made after he had reportedly gone missing for at least 72 hours.
According to his younger brother, Michael Ngaujah, the circumstances surrounding his elder brother’s death are suspicious. He explained that Edward had left work at Kebora and Tablic, a recently established restaurant on Kainkordu Road in Koidu City, without any reported health issues, only for his decomposed body to be found days later in his home.
Michael expressed deep concern over the condition in which the body was found. He stated that the corpse had black spots and the once fair-skinned pastor had turned completely dark, raising suspicions of possible foul play.
He also criticized the management of the restaurant where Edward worked for not checking on him sooner, especially given his sudden disappearance. “Why did it take 72 hours before anyone realized he was missing?” he questioned.
Another point of concern for the family was the delivery of Edward’s coat to the funeral home by the restaurant management. Michael questioned why his brother didn’t return home wearing the coat if he had left work late that night. “Why did he leave the coat behind? It raises questions,” he added.
Due to these unresolved issues, Michael Ngaujah, speaking on behalf of the family, has called for an exhumation of the body to determine the actual cause of death.
Supporting the family’s concerns, Reverend Moses Ndanema, Senior Pastor of the All Nations Pentecostal Church in Koidu City where Edward served as Assistant Pastor also expressed suspicion over the nature of his death. He revealed that Edward was scheduled to preach on Sunday, but his body was found the following Monday morning. “This is not an ordinary death; it must be thoroughly investigated,” Rev. Ndanema said.
The deceased’s two wives, Elizabeth and Esther Ngaujah, have also echoed the need for further investigation.
Due to the state of decomposition at the time of discovery, the family and church members decided to proceed with burial to respect the dignity of the deceased.
When contacted by AZ Multimedia, a representative from Kebora and Tablic Restaurant, Mr. Mohamed Tablic, described Edward’s death as “unfortunate and unbelievable.” He confirmed that Edward left the restaurant in good health on Friday, and the news of his death shocked the entire staff.
Mr. Tablic explained that the management had, in fact, sent a colleague to check on Edward after he failed to show up for work, but he was not found at home during the visit.
Responding to the family’s concerns regarding the coat, Mr. Tablic stated that Edward often left the coat at the restaurant due to his dislike of air conditioning. “He would use it during duty hours and leave it here afterward,” he clarified, describing Edward as an honest, hardworking, and multi-talented staff member.
AZ Newspaper is continuing its investigation into the mysterious death of Edward Ngaujah.