A 50-year-old National Parks and Wildlife game ranger based at Makawa has drowned at Mpemba Fishing Dock along Lake Malawi.

Mangochi Police Station Public Relations Officer Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi has confirmed and identified him as Ronald Banda who hailed from Mudziwitseni village, Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa.

According to Daudi, the incident occurred on May 22nd, 2022.

“It is reported that Banda on the afternoon of May 21st, 2022 left his house and went to have a good time at Makawa Trading Center riding an official motorcycle and around 19:00 hours well-wishers informed Banda’s family that he was totally drunk,” Daudi said.

She then highlighted that after getting that infiey, one of the relatives followed him to the drinking joint and took away the official motorcycle leaving him to continue drinking.

“Banda was also seen at night the same day staggering along the shores and never returned home and the following morning his wife reported to his workmate about the missing of her husband,” she said.

He was later discovered dead by fishermen after his body was trapped in a fishing net.

“The matter was reported to the police who visited the scene and took the deadbody to Koche Health Center where suffocation has been indicated as the cause of the death,” Daudi further explained.

Police in the district therefore, appeals to the public not to play or walk near water bodies whenever they are drunk to avoid drowning incidents.