WINDHOEK – Ten people lost their lives over the long Easter weekend that started on Good Friday and ended yesterday.
Apart from the 10 people who lost their lives in road accidents across the country, by yesterday afternoon another ten people were admitted to hospitals with varying degrees of injuries from the Easter weekend road accidents.
The latest crime report by the Namibian Police cites only two cases of driving under the influence of alcohol and both were in the Kavango East Region.
According to police spokesperson Inspector Slogan Matheus, five people died on the scene on Good Friday at about 22h05 in a horrific accident on the B1 road between Otjiwarongo and Okahandja when a Quantum bus and a Ford Ranger bakkie collided head-on while another person died in the Roman Catholic Hospital in Windhoek from injuries sustained in the accident.
It is alleged the driver of the Quantum bus tried to avoid hitting a calf that was in the road, which forced him into the opposite lane and in the path of the oncoming Ford Ranger.
The deceased were identified as Junias Matheus, 33, the driver of the Quantum; Tobias Dalisto Maruwasa, 33, a passenger in the Quantum; 23-year-old Michael Vulika Naluno, a passenger in the Quantum; Victoria Rakutura Shilongo, 25, a passenger in the Quantum; and Epafras Erasmus, 39, a passenger in the Ford Ranger.
The driver of the Ranger, a 49-year-old male was admitted to the Roman Catholic Hospital in a serious condition.
Matheus also informed the media that a long-distance taxi driver and his assistant were arrested after they pushed a passenger out of their vehicle and drove over him breaking his leg in the process, on Friday April 03 at about 05h00 on the Ondangwa/Oshikango road.
It is alleged the passenger, a male of 37 years, boarded the Quantum bus to Eenhana and upon their arrival the driver refused to proceed to Eenhana and ordered the victim to disembark from his vehicle.
The passenger refused and the driver with the assistance of his co-driver forcefully removed the passenger from the vehicle and drove over him.
The passenger was admitted to Engela hospital and was in a serious but stable condition.
The driver and his assistant were arrested and will appear in the Eenhana magistrates’ court today on charges of attempted murder, alternatively reckless and or negligent driving, failing to render assistance to the injured and failing to report an accident.
The driver of an Isuzu pick-up died on April 03 at about 16h30 after he lost control of his vehicle while trying to avoid a pedestrian on the road between Engela and Okalongo.
The deceased was identified as 43-year-old Likius Weyulu, and his passenger Tuhafeni Nghishikungu was admitted to Engela hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Oshakati police reported that Armas Iipinge, 45, was killed when a Toyota pick-up hit him while he was trying to cross the road on his bicycle on April 02 at about 14h22 at the Oshakati open market.
Police in Rundu are investigating a case of reckless and or negligent driving after the driver of a Ford sedan lost control and overturned the vehicle causing it to roll four times at about 22h40 on April 02 on the Rundu main road at Kaguni village.
The driver and his passenger a 16-year-old male sustained serious injuries and were admitted to Rundu hospital.
A man suspected of being under the influence of alcohol was admitted to Andara hospital after he overturned his Chevrolet pick-up on the Mamono village gravel road on April 04 at about 15h00.
He was alone in the vehicle and sustained serious injuries.
Police investigations continue.
A 55-year-old man was killed while trying to cross the road at Omutsegonime village in the Omuthiya area on April 04 at about 20h00.
It is alleged Lickius Fuma was in the company of two friends and was bumped by a Daihatsu sedan and died on the way the Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital. His friends were unhurt.
A two-year old baby boy died instantly when his mother who was carrying him on her back was hit by a Silver Toyota Corolla on Friday April 03 at about 20h00 at Ondjola location on the road between Tsandi and Okahao.
It is alleged that the woman, Helvi Kalola Wilhelm, 31, was trying to cross the road with Tangeni Onene Hidipohamba on her back when she was hit by the oncoming car.
The toddler died on the spot and the mother was taken to Okahao hospital from where she was transferred to Oshakati hospital where she succumbed to her injuries yesterday morning at 01h45.