Nebbi, Uganda: The Territorial Police in Nebbi Municipality are investigating the suspected drowning of a man whose body was recovered from a borehole water trench at Nyacara Church of Uganda.
The deceased has been identified as Okumu Regynal, a resident of Ajoga Nyayo Bodhu Cell, Nebbi Hill Ward, Abindu Division.
According to West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson SSP Josephine Angucia, the incident occurred on February 15, 2026.
Police said the Nebbi Fire Tender under registration UP 00252 responded to the scene following a call received at around 7:45 am on Sunday from the District Police Commander at Nebbi Central Police Station.
“Police Fire Tender UP 00252 crews responded to the scene and found a male adult identified as Okumu Regynal, who had drowned in a water trench of a borehole at Nyacara Church of Uganda. He was removed, apparently dead and handed over to the homicide team of Nebbi CPS for investigations,” Angucia stated.
Upon retrieval, the body was handed over to the homicide team for further examination, but preliminary findings have raised suspicion of possible foul play, with investigators probing whether the deceased may have been killed before being placed in the water trench.
Police have not yet established clear leads and have appealed to the public to volunteer any information that could assist investigations, assuring confidentiality for informants.
While most drowning cases in Uganda occur near lakes and rivers, incidents have also been reported in smaller water sources such as trenches and boreholes.
Research conducted by the Makerere University School of Public Health in collaboration with the CDC, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies in 2021, estimated Uganda’s drowning death rate at approximately 8.5 per 100,000 people annually — translating to nearly 2,942 drowning deaths each year.
Authorities have continuously urged communities to exercise caution around open water sources and report suspicious circumstances promptly.
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