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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

A 21-YEAR-OLD man from Hwange and his Zambian brother drowned after their makeshift boat capsized at night while they were fishing illegally in the Zambezi River, police have confirmed.

The two were fishing at a fishing camp on the Zambezi River near Makwa, Hwange, when the incident happened on Thursday last week.

Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese identified the deceased as Johane Kwatabe Shoko, from Chief Whange’s area and Moment Lumumba (25) of Zambia.

 “I can confirm that police received a report of sudden death by drowning where two men died while illegally fishing. Moment Lumumba of DRC Fishing Camp on the Zambia side and Johane Shoko got into a boat at around 3AM. Shoko peddled towards the Zambian side while Lumumba was preparing the net in the same boat,” said Chief Insp Makonese.

She said the boat capsized after about 100 metres as they were moving towards the Zambia side.

“They screamed while calling for help but their colleague Elasta Ndlovu who had remained on the river bank could not rescue them,” said Chief Insp Makonese.

She said Ndlovu alerted Shoko’s relatives in the morning and they started searching for the fishermen.

Mr Edmore Ndlovu, who is Shoko’s cousin, led the search and they recovered Shoko’s body about five kilometres downstream on the Zimbabwean side on Friday morning. Lumumba’s body was found on the Zambian side of the river.

 He said Shoko had been living in Zambia with his mother when he went fishing with Lumumba and others.

Magistrate in charge of Matabeleland North province Mr Livard Filimon waived post-mortem as police ruled out foul play.

Last month, six Zambians drowned while fishing at night on the Zambezi River near Kazungula and their bodies were retrieved downstream.

— @ncubeleon