Search for the body of an eleven-year-old boy who drowned in River Nzoia at Scheme line village, Mautuma location in Lugari Sub County entered the 19th day on Thursday morning as the family which has camped along the river for the last 18 day appealing for help to enable find the body.
According to the deceased’s father Mr. Timothy Espakale, his son Michael Opise who was a standard three pupil at Mukuyu primary school, had accompanied his elder brother to look after their cattle on Sunday 26th November 2017 when he met his demise.
Mr. Esipakale said while they were in the grazing field, the two brothers were joined by their friends and started grazing cattle together as they played along the river banks and
later decided to take a bath in the river.
He said the boys took a bath, and while basking on a rock next to the river, one of the boys allegedly shoved his son into the river, where he drowned and died. The elder brother had rushed to check on the cattle and when he got back, the other boys couldn’t truly account what happened, “When I returned, I met my friends who said my little brother was still at the river. When I rushed there I could only see is clothes, I tried calling him, but there was no response,” said the elder brother, who rushed to inform his father.
Mr. Esipakale said the family members together with local divers have tried all means possible to find the body but all has been in vain.
The grandmother of the deceased Mrs. Mary Ongachi said according to the African traditions it isn’t right for the body to be neglected and it should be retrieved and buried in a respectable way. She appealed to the government and other diving experts’ help to enable them find the remains of her grandson.