Body of the departed hoops player set to land

Samson Charles, the fallen Tanzanian basketball player, who was studying in the US. PHOTO | FILE 


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Body of the departed hoops player set to land 


Dar es Salaam. The body of Tanzanian basketball player, Samson Charles, who died in a boat accident in US, will arrive in the country tomorrow for burial.

The Tanzania’s basketball fraternity is expected to gather at the Julius Nyerere International Airport to receive the body of the player who featured for Dar es Salam’s Oilers before securing a scholarship to study in the US.

Charles was enrolled at North Plate Carolina, a college that specialises in training basketball players.

He was among the seven students from the college who were involved in a boat accident that claimed the lives of the five of them. According to Mathew McCollister, the national team coach who organised Charles’ scholarship said the body of the Tanzanian youth was found on July 15, four days after he was declared missing after the accident. Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Oilers head coach, William Mziray confirmed the arrival date of the fallen youngster, adding that the college will foot all expenses of transporting the body to Tanzania.

However, he said the full arrangements of the his burial will be made public after the deceased’s relatives meet tomorrow. The coach, who is among the those who groomed Charles, disclosed that his burial would be held at his Serengeti home village in Mara.

“We have lost a jewel. His death has deeply saddened the basketball fraternity in the country,” the coach said.

In learning of Samson’s accident, Dr. Jody Tomanek, Vice-President of North Platte Community College said, “This is a sad and tragic day for NPCC and the Knight’s athletic program. In the short time Samson was with the College, he made a huge impact on the students, faculty and staff.”

The Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) said yesterday that they would foot the expenses of transporting the body to Serengeti where the deceased would be laid to rest.