School suspends pupil found with suspected poisonous food

ALEBTONG- A Primary Six pupil in Alebtong District has been suspended over allegations of attempting to poison her classmates.

The 16-year-old pupil of Anwata Primary School, Abia Sub-county, ran into trouble after she was found with boiled groundnuts mixed with suspected poisonous substance.

She had reportedly hidden the alleged poisonous foodstuff under her desk before it was picked up by the class teacher, after some pupils alerted him.

The school head teacher, Mr Simon Peter Odongo, confirmed on Wednesday that the pupil was suspended on Monday to pave way for investigations.
“She has been suspended. Last Friday, she carried to school boiled groundnuts suspected to have been mixed with poisonous substance,” he said.

Mr Odongo said the decision was arrived at after a meeting with her parents on Monday.

The girl reportedly wanted to harm three girls who always beg to share her eats at school.

“We have reported the matter at Abia Police Outpost and we are with police detectives trying to find out where she got the poison-like substances from,” Mr Odongo added.

The Alebtong District police commander, Mr Ronald Mugabe, said they have started investigation to determine whether what the pupil carried to school was poisonous.

“We have received the complaint and its being investigated,” he said.

The pupil’s father said his daughter could have got the suspicious substances from her brother who handles agricultural chemicals.

“She could have obtained the substances from her brother because he has those agricultural chemicals for spraying crops,” he said.
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