Epileptic man (22) drowns in ‘river of death’

What was meant to be a quick trip to the river for a bath ended in tragedy for the family of a 22-year-old man whose lifeless body was retrieved from the Kavango River on Tuesday. The deceased is known to suffer from epilepsy.

According to a police report, Muragho Benhard Kapinga from Mbapuka village in the Mukwe constituency left his family home around 18:00 on Monday to go take a bath in the river.

That was the last time he was seen alive as he did not return home that evening.

His family found his clothes on the bank of the river, which prompted them to report him missing to the police.

The following day, a team was dispatched to Mbapuka in search of Kapinga, whose body was recovered floating on the river on Tuesday evening near where his clothes were found.

Pending a post-mortem report, the police suspect no foul play.

His next of kin have been informed and police investigations into the matter continue.

Potable water an issue

Kapinga’s death is another in a string of tragedies involving the Kavango River, which has earned the waterway the nickname ‘river of death’.

Kavango East police commander, Commissioner Johanna Ngondo, told Namibian Sun last year that there are various reasons why bodies are often found in the river.

She highlighted the communities’ reliance on water from the river as amongst the reasons why residents continue to go there, despite the threat of crocodiles, hippos and drowning.

“The issue of people not having potable water is contributing factor to why people are going to the river,” she said.

Ngondo said bodies found floating on the Kavango River should serve as a sign to regional leaders to ensure that no more lives are lost due to gathering water at the river.

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