Four drown over weekend

The police have confirmed the deaths of four men in separate drowning incidents in different parts of the country over the weekend.

National police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi says Salomo Akudhenga (37) was found dead in a water pan at Ondando village in the Oshikoto region.

She says he was last seen on Friday at around 20h00, drinking omagongo (marula drink) in the Olumbongo area.

His family reported him missing at Onethindi Police Station the following evening.

It is alleged that Akudhenga’s relatives began searching for him on Sunday and found his body in a water pan near his village.

“The police suspect he drowned. His body was taken to Onandjokwe State Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem, and his next of kin have been informed,” Shikwambi says.

A second drowning was reported at Lekkerwater settlement farm at Kamdescha in the Kunene region.

It was reported that Vivien Hamaseb (20) was seen on the neighboring farm on Tuesday. His body was discovered in the river at about 12h30 on Sunday.

“No foul play is suspected at this stage. The cause of death is unknown and a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

“The deceased is a Namibian male. His next of kin were informed.

Investigations continue,” Shikwambi says.

In another case, an Angolan goat herder (24) drowned at Otjiperengo village in the Sesfontein area in the Kunene region.

The police say the man did not return with his goats on Saturday.

Shikwambi said fellow villagers looked for him and found his clothes next to a waterhole.

The following day, they returned and retrieved his body from the water. The man’s next of kin have not been informed of his death yet, and investigations continue.

The fourth drowning incident took place at Orutjandja at Opuwo. Shikwambi says an Angolan man drowned while attempting to cross a river in heavy rains on Sunday.

“His next of kin have been informed, and a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” she says.