The body of Valérie Nkwanga, 18, was found buried behind the family home in Yaoundé's Nkoabang neighborhood, two weeks after she went missing. The discovery was made after relatives returning to the house noticed a smell.
The young woman, a recent high-school graduate, had been left in the care of her maternal uncle, Awang, 17, while her parents were in Abong-Mbang, in the East region, for dowry ceremonies.
The uncle is now being actively sought by authorities: he has been missing since the body was discovered. The motive remains unknown at this stage, and an autopsy has been ordered to establish the exact circumstances of death.
The case has once again stirred concern over violence against young women in Cameroon — an issue already at the center of public debate this year, as official feminicide figures keep climbing.
For families facing this kind of tragedy, the key concern remains the speed and transparency of the investigation: the disappearance lasted two weeks before the body was found within the family compound itself, raising questions about the oversight during that period.
The investigation continues in Yaoundé, where judicial authorities must now locate the fugitive suspect and establish the precise circumstances of the death.
