Police in Mongu District of Western Province are investigating the death of Kawana Kawana, a 30 year old Mongu resident, whose body was retrieved from Zambezi River, a few meters away from bridge on March 11, 2025.

Western Division Police Commanding Officer, David Chileshe, has disclosed in an interview with ZANIS that the post-mortem conducted in the afternoon yesterday at Lewanika General Hospital mortuary, indicated that the deceased did not die from drowning but of suspected murder.

Mr Chileshe said the deceased’s neck was found with injuries and blood in his nose.

“They have just finished conducting a postmortem and the findings are that it is not a drowning, there is some foul play suspected, it looks like he was actually murdered and then thrown into the water.

“He has some injuries to his neck and some blood was seen in the nasal cavity, so police are actively investigating what could have happened to him before his demise,” he said.

Mr Chileshe explained that on March 10, 2025 at 17:30 hours, Mongu Central Police received a report of a missing person identified as Kawana Kawana aged 30 of Siyanga area in Mongu Township, which later turned out to be a drowning case.

He stated that the incident occurred between March 9, 2025 at around 21:00 hours and March 10, 2025 around 16:00 hours at Siyanga area in Mongu. 

“On a sad note, we wish to report that Mongu Central Police received a report of a missing person which later turned out to be a drowning case. 

“It was reported on 10th March, 2025 at 17:30 hours, which occurred between 9th March, 2025 at around 21: 00 hours and 10th March, 2025 at around 16:00 hours at Siyanga area in Mongu township,” he stated.

The Provincial Police Chief mentioned that Charles Mwala aged 57 of Malelekwa area in Mongu District, also of Litongo Village under Chief Indopu in Nalolo District reported that his nephew Kawana Kawana aged 30 of Siyanga area, Mongu Township, went missing from home after allegedly going to Mandanga.

“Brief facts of the incident were that on the dates and times shown above, the now deceased person was said to have called his wife, Namatama Imanga, aged 24, of the same aboard, to say that he was going to Mandanga area to collect his mobile phone. He was last seen wearing a green hoodie, blue trousers and white tack shoes. 

“On 10th March, 2025 around 16:30 hours his green hoodie, shoes and NRC were discovered on the ground at bridge number one along Mongu – Lusaka road. His whereabouts was not known until when his body was discovered floating in the river,” he said.

Mr Chileshe said before the postmortem was conducted on Mr Kawana’s body, Police suspected that the deceased could have drowned due to fast flowing flood water in the area which have risen, assuming that he tried to take a bath because he tried to take off his clothes, hence, his NRC, shoes and hoodie were found at the bridge. 

“It was suspected that Mr Kawana could have drowned in the fast flowing flood water area which have risen quite significantly and it is suspected that he could have tried to take a bath because he had taken off his clothes that is why his NRC, his shoes and hoodie were found at the bridge until now when the postmortem has been conducted,” Mr Chileshe said.