Man arrested for poisoning lover’s baby
Peter Wandera being led to the police cells at Busia police after he allegedly poisoned his lover's baby on May 8, 2021. PHOTO/ DAVID AWORI
What you need to know:
- Mr Humphrey Nambiro, the hospital administrator, said a search on the suspect found him with ‘what was left of what appeared like poison’ hidden in his jacket and called police which arrested him.
Police in Busia District have detained a 23-year-old man for allegedly poisoning his lover’s six-week-old baby.
Police alleged that Peter Wandera, a resident of Bwalira Village, Masinya Sub-county, at the weekend ingested Isaac Muwanguzi with poison while at Masafu Hospital where the mother, Judith Akuku, 19, had taken him for immunization.
Mr Humphrey Nambiro, the hospital administrator, said a search on the suspect found him with ‘what was left of what appeared like poison’ hidden in his jacket and called police which arrested him.
“He had a small container in his jacket with contents which were similar to what was on the baby’s clothes and mouth, and we suspect it is poison,” Mr Nambiro said.
The mother, who is recovering from shock at the hospital’s maternity wing, said the two are lovers, but the baby belonged to another man.
Mr Moses Mugwe, the Bukedi region police spokesman, confirmed the baby’s death, adding that the mother is equally culpable of the crime until investigations prove otherwise.
“We have established that the suspect and deceased’s mother are lovers and that the suspect poisoned the baby after he was left behind by the mother who had been sent to a shop at Masafu Town, making her culpable,” Mr Mugwe said.
“Wandera called me saying he wanted to meet me and when I told him I was at the hospital to vaccinate my child, he came and shortly remained with the child, but after tricking me into going and buying for him airtime, only to return and find my baby dying,” Ms Akuku said.
She added that she alerted the nurses at maternity wing who examined the baby and established that he was dead.
Patients, majority of them women at the maternity wing, were stunned by the act. Ms Jacklyn Akumu, an eyewitness, said: “I saw the couple walking together in a jovial mood, but shortly, we heard that he had poisoned the baby.”
Ms Joan Ajambo, another eyewitness, said it appears the suspect was interested in marrying the woman but did not want the child.
Shortly after his arrest, the suspect was whisked to Masafu Police Station, before being transferred to Busia Police Station where he is currently being held awaiting arraignment in court on murder charges.
