BY PROBLYN J ALPHA
Tragedy struck the community of Koidu City on Sunday, June 9, 2024, when 17-year-old Benjamin Ngegba, a student at Municipal Secondary School, drowned in an old mining pit in the Bondo Bush area of Tankoro Chiefdom.
The incident occurred around noon, according to reports. Benjamin’s close friend, John Yambasu, recounted the events leading up to the tragic accident. Yambasu stated that Benjamin had requested his company to the old mining pit to launder clothes. Accompanied by Benjamin’s younger brother, the trio went to the pit, where they successfully completed their laundry.
After finishing, Benjamin decided to swim across the water to the other side. Yambasu, who was conversing with an elderly man washing gravel nearby, was suddenly alerted by Benjamin’s younger brother that his elder brother had disappeared beneath the water and had not resurfaced.
“Upon hearing this, I immediately jumped into the water to rescue my friend, but the strong current was overwhelming and I couldn’t find him,” Yambasu explained. Despite his valiant efforts, the current proved too powerful. Realizing the severity of the situation, Yambasu and the younger brother rushed back to inform their family of the dire circumstances.
The father of the deceased, Sahr Ngegba, expressed his profound grief and shock over the untimely death of his firstborn son. “The news of my son’s death is a devastating blow. He was very brilliant and respectful, and his loss has created a void that will be incredibly hard to fill,” said Sahr Ngegba, fighting back tears. “May his soul, along with the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in perpetual peace.”
The community mourns the loss of a promising young life and extends heartfelt condolences to the Ngegba family during this difficult time.
