Mother, four children poisoned to death

Police in Buliisa is investigating a circumstances under which five members of the same family died and three others are in critical condition after a suspected food poisoning.

According to the area police spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Julius  Hakiza the incident happened on Thursday afternoon when a family of eight ate food suspected to have been laced with poison.

“It is alleged that the family of eight people ate cassava bread suspected to have been poisoned. After eating, the mother, Agnes Noame,30 died on the spot whereas the rest of the children were pronounced dead on arrival at Buliisa General Hospital where they had been rushed,”Hakiza said.

The police mouthpiece named the other deceased as Robert Omirambe,10, Charles Ogenange,11, Richard Sunday,12 and five year old Issa Moureen

He noted that three other children including Agnes Faume,16, Paulinah Issa,5 and one year old  Fortunate Maumbe are still in critical condition.

“The bodies are still in Buliisa General Hospital mortuary pending postmortem analysis. The case is being investigated vide CRB322,2019.”

Past incidents

In January 2019, eight people from the same family were rushed to the nearby Bwikara Health Centre in Kagadi district after eating ground nuts sauce allegedly laced with poison.

In June 2016, seven members of the same family at Asinge village, Osukuru sub-county in Tororo district were rushed to Tororo Referral Hospital in critical condition after eating food suspected to have been laced with poison.

It was suspected that the poison was laced into the food when an unknown person sneaked into the kitchen where food for dinner was being kept.

Immediately after dinner, the family members developed stomach complications, vomiting and diarrhea.

In May 2019, a four year toddler died whereas her siblings and parents were rushed to hospital in critical condition at Nankondo village, Lwebitakuli sub- county in Ssembabule district after eating suspected poisoned food.