Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force (NamPol), Sebastian Ndeitunga, said he is worried about possible ritual killings in the Kavango East Region.

Ndeitunga’s comments come after 37-year-old Egidius Kayangula’s mutilated body was found floating in the Kavango River last week.

The suspected murder also angered the community of Sauyemwa, where the deceased is from, who demonstrated against the gruesome act.

Ndeitunga told Nampa on Monday that suspected murder is a possible ritual killing or trafficking of human parts as the incident resembles five other cases that happened in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021.

In 2016 the body of a man was found without private parts floating at Satasungu bridge while another body of a man was found also without private parts at the same spot in 2017.

The decomposed bodies of three women, who were also allegedly raped, were found at various areas within Rundu during 2017 and 2018.

“To curb these type of killings we can only raise the level of vigilance while members of the public and police work together. Those involved are people we know coming from our houses. We cannot afford to have another murder of this kind again,” Ndeitunga said.

Head of NamPol’s Special Field Force, Andreas Shilelo said he too is suspecting that the body parts of the deceased were removed for ritual purposes.

He said statements were taken from all witnesses involved that were around the deceased.

He said the police are working together with their Angolan counterparts as the body was found on the Angolan side.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency