Staff Writer
PRELIMINARY results from one of the most significant food poisoning case in Namibian history, in which 16 family members from one household died after consuming pearl millet Mahangu flour, have revealed that no man-made poisons were found in the victims’ blood and tissue.
According to Namibian police’s national spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the Namibian Police Forensic Science Institute (NPFSI) has yet to send food samples from the deadly Mahangu consumed by the family to South Africa to determine the presence of any poison.
The tragedy occurred towards the end of May in the Kavango East area, notably in Kayova village, and sent shockwaves across the country.
On May 27, the household is reportedly to have eaten a poisonous/toxic porridge made of pearl millet Mahangu flour and dried and pounded fermented sediment from a homemade beverage/beer called locally as’mundevere,’ which they were given by a family member living nearby.
According to reports, the family members showed food poisoning symptoms included vomiting of brownish gastric contents, seizures, repeated hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), loss of consciousness, and restlessness.
Dr. Jean Kabangu, Superintendent of Rundu Hospital, indicated that the investigations into the deaths were done at two levels.
According to Dr. Kabangu, Rundu Hospital received patients referred from Nyangana Hospital, and their staff also assessed the situation on the ground.
“Our samples included both blood and tissue from the deceased. The police handled the food samples themselves.
There were no toxins found in the postmortem blood and tissue samples,” Dr. Kabangu said.
He came to the conclusion that the 16 family members died as a result of kidney and liver organ failure.
