Police have exhumed the body of a man who died last year to carry out further investigations into his death, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Detectives opened the grave in St. John's Parish Church, Pembroke, on Saturday to allow Government Forensic Pathologist Dr. John Obafunwa to carry out an examination of the body of 63-year-old Kenneth Edward Leon Seymour.

After the body was removed at 6 a.m., it was taken to the morgue at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for testing and returned to be re-interned later the same day.

Mr. Seymour, a homeless man who was often seen around Spanish Point, died on December 4 last year of what were thought to be natural causes.

It is understood Dr. Obafunwa carried out toxicological tests on Mr. Seymour's body to help determine the cause of death.

Police refused to disclose the identity of the man exhumed, but in a statement issued to The Royal Gazette last night, they said: "On Saturday, February 2 2002, Bermuda Police service carried out an exhumation at the St. John Parish Cemetery to further an investigation in the death of a 63-year-old man.

"Police acted under the power-invested authority of the Governor, under the Public Health Act 1949 section 128.

"On hand for the exhumation were Government Pathologist, a forensic specialist, Dr. Obufanwa, a funeral director from Augustus Funeral Home, family of the deceased and a priest that re-interned the body after the examination was finished."

The tests have not been completed and it is understood it could take months to achieve the results.

The Royal Gazette understands that Immigration officers interviewed Mr. Seymour about the status of his wife, Curley, a Jamaican, last year.

When contacted yesterday for comment, an Immigration official said the Department did not comment on individual cases.

Police interviewed members of Mr. Seymour's family about his death and prior to his body being exhumed.