Police probe suspected suicide after man jumps into lake
Police in Mbita sub-county are investigating circumstances in which a 30-year-old fisherman died in a suspected suicide in Lake Victoria.
The deceased, identified as Samuel Otieno died near Sienga beach in Mfangano North Location on Sunday evening.
Otieno is reported to have committed suicide by jumping into the lake from a moving waterbus.
He was on his way to Mfangano Island for an unknown mission. The deceased had boarded the water vessel alongside other passengers in Mbita.
Eyewitnesses said Otieno was seated in an open part of the waterbus before he started removing his shoes and clothes, which he placed where he was seated.
He eventually placed his mobile phone inside the shoes and jumped into the water as the vessel continued moving.
Otieno plunged into the water after when the boat had covered more than three quarters of the journey.
Passengers raised an alarm that alerted the waterbus captain that someone had fallen into the Lake.
Mfangano North Location Chief Bernard Oloo who was among passengers in the vessel said the waterbus made a reverse movement to enable other passengers to rescue the fisherman.
However, the rescue efforts proved futile because he had sunk in water.
“We could see him floating on water but he sank before the waterbus reached the point we had spotted him,” Oloo said.
He stated that reasons which made the fisherman to commit suicide were not immediately established.
He said it was discovered that Otieno hails from Kanyamwa Komungu village in Ndhiwa sub-county.
He had been fishing at Litare beach on Rusinga Island, Mbita Sub-county.
“The deceased did not divulge to anybody about his intentions. We used the mobile phone he left to trace his origin,” added the administrator.
He said efforts to retrieve the fisherman’s body are underway, noting that they had liaised with the local fishermen to help in the exercise.
Confirming the incident, Mbita sub-county deputy police Commander James Ademba said his officers were pursuing the matter.
“We’ve heard about the incident but nobody has recorded an official statement regarding it,” Ademba said.
