A seven-year-old boy died instantly while two others were rushed to hospital on Tuesday evening in Mukono district after eating sweet bananas laced with poison to trap monkeys.
Rayan Bwire, a son to John Bwire, a resident of Namawojjolo in Mukono district picked a Polyethylene bag containing sweet bananas laced with poison from the garden of a trader in Lugazi town only identified as Nkonge.
He reportedly ate four bananas and shared the rest with his friends identified as Abed Jagenda and Sharif Jagenda, also minors and children of Joyce Kirabo and Hamidu Jagenda. No sooner had the children left the garden, than they started experiencing excruciating stomach pain.
Bwire started vomiting prompting his father to rush him to the nearest clinic. He breathed his last before reaching the clinic. His colleagues were rushed to Mukono hospital where medical workers managed to save them from the poison.
According to information from the hospital, one of the minors is responding well to treatment while the other is in critical condition. A Homicide team led by Harriet Kisakye from Mbalala police station visited the scene and recovered some of the bananas for testing.
Bwire’s father wants police to open a case against Nkonge for placing poisoned bananas well knowing that children can easily access the place. “Children have always gone there to collect firewood while others cross the garden to various destinations but why would someone place poison without notifying community members,” Bwire wondered.
URN visited the garden and established that it is close to a forested area measuring about 3 acres. Although there were no crops in the gardens, Nkonge had had just cleared the dried maize husks possibly preparing for a new season.
The Nama Sub County Councillor, Richard Ssemanda says apart from throwing the village into such shock, it is against the law to kill wild animals using poison.
Nkonge couldn’t be reached for a comment as his known mobile numbers were switched off by the time our reporter tried to contact him. Muhammad Wamala, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer has called for clam from the residents pending the outcomes of the investigations.
He also questions Nkonge’s motives, saying that if he was targeting monkeys he would have placed the bananas in the trees but not on the ground where they can easily be accessed by children.
The deceased’s family is waiting for the return of his body from Mulago hospital where it was taken for postmortem.
-URN
That man who did such a funny thing should be put to death also.