Woman dies after being hit by taxi at Opuwo

A CULPABLE homicide case has been opened at the Opuwo Police Station after a woman died after she was allegedly struck by a taxi at the town on Sunday evening.

Chief inspector Vehangaiza Ruiter, the Namibian Police’s community affairs officer for the Kunene region, said on Monday that the incident occurred at around 20h00, when a woman, believed to be in her late thirties, was allegedly hit and killed by an oncoming vehicle while attempting to cross the road at Orutjandja location at Opuwo.

“A taxi was traveling from the Ondororundu area when the driver collided with the woman, who was crossing the road, resulting in her death at the scene. The taxi driver remained at the scene and contacted the police, who arrived to initiate an investigation,” Ruiter said.

She added that the deceased’s next of kin have not yet been notified, as police are still attempting to establish the family’s whereabouts given that no identification documents were found with the deceased.

In an unrelated incident at Opuwo, an Angolan national, identified as Kauendera Ruvandu, allegedly drowned around 18h20 on Sunday while trying to cross a river during heavy rainfall at Orutjandja location.

Ruiter said the deceased allegedly attempted to cross the river despite several onlookers warning and trying to dissuade him. His body was later recovered by police approximately 100 meters from Orutjandja location.