Three children poisoned to death in Kumi, two arrested 

In a heart wrenching incident, Police in Kumi District are investigating circumstances under which three siblings died after they were allegedly poisoned under unclear circumstances.

John Okodosi, 9, Ignatius Agodo, 4, and Constant Olupot, 6, all sons of Tom Omudu and residents of Okudumo Village, Okudumo Parish in Mukongoro Sub County, were pronounced dead upon being rushed to a nearby clinic in Kanyum town council on Wednesday.

The bodies were then taken to Mbale City Mortuary where police surgeon Dr Barnabas Rubanza confirmed that the children died of poison.

“It’s unfortunate that we walk up to shock after sad news of murder by poisoning had claimed three juveniles. This is quite regrettable incidence for people with such bad hearts to kill such innocent children,” the Kumi RDC, Mr Ahamada Washaki, said.

“These are little children who have no grudge with anyone, it is painful to lose children you have been struggling to raise in such a heinous incident, as a grieving parent may police help me get justice,” Mr Omudu said.

Mr Stephen Odongo, the LC3 chairperson of Mukongoro Sub County said that the incident happened on Wednesday when food meant for the children was allegedly laced with poison. He added that at the time of alleged poisoning, the parents of the children were not at home.

“It seems the suspects had for long targeted the parents but failed, so the children were now soft targets,” he said.

On Thursday evening, relatives of the deceased children torched homes of the suspects prompting police spend most of the night at the scene.

The Kumi District Police Commander (DPC), Mr Twaha Buyinza, said that the matter is being investigated and police are on guard to prevent more loss of lives through revenge attacks.