Police in Bukedea district are investigating circumstances under which seven children belonging to one family were poisoned.
The seven children have been identified as Mark Opio 14, Alex Olango 8, Emmanuel Okwalinga 12, Andrew Ocom 5, who are among the survivors and the two who perished on the spot include Allan Opio and Noel Odongo the twins both belonging Simon Elungat and Sylvia Amutos, residents of Komolo village, Okouba parish in Malera sub county in Bukedea district.
The survivors were rushed to the local herbalist.
Simon Elungat the father of the children said it was on 25/01/2021 Monday morning when they went to the nearby swamp to cut grass and they left all their seven children when they were okay without any illness.
Elungat added that the elder son prepared breakfast for the seven children and since the twins are the youngest, they were given to eat enough food.
During the cooking process, an evil person sneaked into the kictcen when the children were not aware and poured poison into the pot of the boiling food.
On their arrival from the swamp, all the children were crying of stomach pains and since the twins eat ‘enough’, they started showing signs of poisoning. He rushed them to a nearby herbalist but it was too late for the twins. However, the other five were rescued.
Samuel Richard Okinyom the area councillor confirmed the incident assaying that food poisoning was rampant in the area until they started voting for the suspects. He adds that these incidents have reappeared again.
Francis Akello the deputy CID Bukedea confirmed the incident and said they visited the scene and the dead bodies were taken to Mbale for Post mortem but results are yet to be confirmed whether it’s poison, however police are on ground to investigate the matter.
