Windhoek: The man who died in an accident near Okakarara on Saturday has been identified by relatives as 62-year-old Ben Kouzandu. Kouzandu's Nissan NP200 pick-up allegedly collided with a tree and burst into flames in the early hours of Saturday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the brother of the deceased, retired police chief inspector Gideon Sheya, told Nampa in an interview on Monday that the body is that of Kouzandu, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. The pick-up belonged to the deceased.

Namibian Police Force head of community affairs in the Otjozondjupa Region, Senior Inspector Maureen Mbeha, told Nampa on Monday that she was aware that the deceased had been identified by his relatives. "However, we will only confirm the identity of the deceased once the forensics department of the police completes the examination in Windhoek," she said.

Mbeha stated it is suspected that Kouzandu lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and collide with a tree near Otuvingo village in the Okakarara Constituency between 01h00 and 02h00 on Saturday. Preliminary police investigations indicate that the vehicle was travelling from the direction of Okaepe village towards Okakarara at the time of the accident. Police investigations continue.