Cameroonian Pastor Dies From COVID-19
The Claim
Cameroonian pastor Frankline Ndifor said he he could cure his followers of the coronavirus.
News posted on
Emerging story
In mid-May 2020, Twitter users posted that popular Cameroonian pastor Frankline Ndifor claimed that prayer would cure people of the coronavirus. He later died.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar's investigation shows that Pastor Ndifor could not cure COVID-19, as he later died from the disease.
Ndifor said that prayers would cure his supporters of COVID-19. He held mass prayer sessions in which hundreds of his followers prayed for health through the pandemic, breaking social distancing recommendations.
Our investigation shows that he died and was buried by his residence on Saturday, May 16, 2020 by a COVID-19 response team, less than a week after being diagnosed with the virus. Many of his followers congregated at his residence the morning after his death, singing and praying that Pastor Ndifor is not dead but instead on a spiritual retreat with God. Some of these followers attempted to stop his burial because of this belief.
The pastor’s death has had a somber effect on other members of his congregation, however, who turned to the pastor for a divine cure from the pandemic. Dr. Gaelle Nnanga said that Ndifor died only ten minutes after he arrived to treat him.
