Two die, two fighting for their lives after drinking herbal brew

Two women died on Wednesday, and another two were admitted to hospital after consuming a cocktail of herbs a so-called traditional healer at Kandjara village in the Kavango East region allegedly gave them.

It’s alleged that the four women approached the traditional healer and self-proclaimed prophet to be cleansed of ‘evil spirits’ they believed caused them bad luck.

Kavango East crime investigations coordinator deputy commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu yesterday confirmed the incident to The Namibian.

“He gave them mixed pounded traditional medicine to vomit it all out, which resulted in the two victims’ death and the others’ hospitalisation at Nyangana Catholic Hospital.”

Kanyetu said the first victim, identified as Josephine Shiremo (27), died shortly upon her arrival at the Kandjara clinic, where she was taken by family members who noticed her condition when she arrived home.

He said Shiremo was vomiting and had diarrhoea. The second victim, Shikonga Linyando (30), died near her homestead in nearby bushes where she reportedly went to relieve herself.

Theophila Lisundju (39) and Brigitha Mahungo (30) are in a stable condition in hospital.

It’s alleged that the ‘healer’ fled after it became known that two of the women died.

However, he later handed himself over to the police.

The left-over traditional medicine and all equipment used were confiscated by the police.

The bodies of Shiremo and Linyando have been taken to Nyangana Catholic Hospital for post-mortems.

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