MAYARA – The discovery of a strange trench in the Mukwe constituency, where several people have gone missing and the lifeless body of a student was discovered floating in the river after he disappeared several days earlier, has caused a stir.
Constituency councillor Damian Maghambayi over the weekend visited the site, about a 10-minute walk into some thick bushes south of the Trans- Caprivi Highway at Mayara village, where a professionally-dug trench was discovered.
The councillor believes the trench is bad news, and could be a crime hotspot. He says that could perhaps be where people who go missing in his constituency have been kept, or where criminals hide their loot.
“This discovery is very mysterious. We are shocked as we don’t know what this is because it could only have been done by someone trained, especially by the military,” Maghambayi
stated.
A villager discovered the trench last Sunday and went to inform the village headman, who then informed the police.
The police in the end involved the military to assist in their investigations.
The deep trench is supported by treated wooden poles, and a tarpaulin covered with sand was draped over it.
The community has been gripped by fear as people have been going missing without trace, and some are only discovered when their dead bodies surface in the river. The community believes there are certain people involved in human trafficking as well as killing people for rituals or body parts to use in their businesses.
Recently, the lifeless body of a 22-year-old student was discovered floating in the Kavango River after he was reported to have disappeared in the area of Shadikongoro in the Mukwe constituency.
Villagers suspect shebeen owners in the area of having killed the young man for body parts.
“So, the discovery of this trench is not only mysterious, but also scary. That is why we are letting the public out there know that they should be cautious and identify any strange movement or people in their area,” the councillor urged.
He furthermore advised his community that if they see any strange-looking person or know of family members who might be involved in the disappearance of people, they should forthwith report them to the police.
“The community should, however, not panic as the law-enforcement entities are investigating, and they will find whoever dug this trench,” he noted.
The councillor said since the discovery, there has been progress made. The police discovered some clothes, which were identified as belonging to a certain soldier who is from the Mayara village, but works in the Zambezi region.
“He must now tell us what his clothes were doing inside the trench. It is just a matter of letting the police do their work, and maybe at the end of the day they will find out who is exactly responsible for this one, and why he dug it,” Maghambayi continued.
“Currently, there are two people missing in the area. Unfortunately, one was reported to have gone missing, and the family has been looking for that person. The other one is an elderly person who was reported missing over a year ago. When we discover something of this nature, you ask yourself questions about this trench, and what the motive was. It’s even in thick bushes, far from the community and roads, so there is nothing good about it,” he added.