A seven-year-old boy died instantly and his two other colleagues were rushed to hospital after eating poisoned sweet bananas placed in a garden to kill monkeys on Tuesday evening.
Rayan Bwire, a son to John Bwire a resident at Namawojjolo in Mukono district picked up a Polyethylene bag containing bananas from the garden of a trader who stays at Lugazi town identified by one name of Nkonge.
It is allegedly said that the boy ate about four bananas before sharing some with the colleagues identified as Abed Jagenda and Sharif Jagenda also minors belonging to Joyce Kirabo and Hamidu Jagenda also residents at Namawojjolo.
However, immediately they left the garden located about ten meters from their home places, they started crying of stomach pain. The deceased started vomiting before the father tried carrying him to the nearest clinic but died before reaching.
Medical workers at Mukono hospital reveals that boys were poisoned, the two who survived, one has steadily recovered and another still under critical condition.
Homicide police team led by Harriet Kisakye attached to Mbalala police station visited the scene. They recovered some bananas spared by the boys and took them for further scrutiny.
Bwire the father to the deceased says police should register a case against Nkonge for placing poisoned bananas in a places he knows that is accessed by children.
“Children have always gone there to collect firewood while others cross by the garden to various destinations but why would someone place poison without notifying community members,” Bwire wonders.
The Insight Post has visited the garden and established that it is close to a forested area of about 3 acres where the monkeys are said to stay. Though the garden lacked food staffs they could destroy, the owner had just cleared the dried maize husks possibly preparing for a new season.
The councillor for Namawojjolo at Nama Sub County Richard Ssemanda says apart from throwing the village into such a shock, it is against the law to cull wild animals using poison.
We could not confirm the accusations put up against Nkonge neither the real intentions after trying his contact availed by residents when it is switched off.
Meanwhile, the Sub County Internal Security Officer Muhamad Wamala appeals to residents remain calm and waiting for the final report from police as well as its guidance.
However, he is also puzzled about the intentions of the garden owner, he notes that if at all he was targeting monkeys would have placed the banana somewhere up in the tree but not on ground where they can easily be accessed.
The family is waiting for the body to be returned from Mulago hospital where it was taken for a postmortem to conduct burial.
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