Residents of Wakiki junction Ntamulung Bamenda were relieved from a foul stench that hanged densely in the neighbourhood for days, when the badly decomposed body of one Asangwe Cho, in his 70s was found and retrieved by elements of the Army Rescue Unit.

The man was last seen drinking with friends in the neighbourhood on Friday. He lived alone in a one-room apartment in the boys-quarter of the late brother’s house.

Residents complained of a foul odour Saturday but suspected that it was from an animal carcass. When the odour grew strong, and flies started gathering at his door, the neighbours suspected that something was wrong and alerted the quarter youths early Sunday morning.

The body was found face down in a dark tight room, badly decomposed. The state council for Mezam, the police and army rescue unit were alerted, but no post-mortem examination could be carried out because of the state in which the body was found.

The Bamenda City Council officials were called in after the Army Rescue Unit refused to retrieve the corpse saying it wasn’t part of their job description. It took the intervention of some media men for senior military officials in Douala to order the Army Rescue Unit Bamenda to the scene.

The nearly decomposed body was finally retrieved by the Army rescue Unit before handing it over to the BCC hygiene and sanitation department for burial at the municipal cemetery at Ngongham.

Mr. Samson Anye, quarter head of Ntamulung II said the late Asongwe was a loner who spent most of his time drinking sachet whiskey. He was said to have been looking very pale and lived by himself.