11-Year-Old Student Dies of Suspected Poisoning in Isingiro

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ISINGIRO – Police in Isingiro District have initiated an investigation into the tragic demise of 11-year-old Tumusime Richmond, a P.5 student at Citizen Nursery and Primary School. The suspected cause of death is poisoning.

Reportedly, at approximately 1:00 PM on September 24, 2023, the deceased had his lunch and subsequently consumed water from his bottle, which is suspected to have been contaminated with poison. He cautioned his classmates not to drink from his bottle, claiming that it contained a drink known as “jolly jas” meant exclusively for his consumption.

Following the consumption of this water, he began to vomit and subsequently lost consciousness. He was quickly transported to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital at around 2:00 PM for urgent medical attention. Tragically, Richmond passed away around 8:00 PM.

Initial findings from the investigation reveal that the deceased had expressed discontent with his boarding school experience, primarily due to his unfamiliarity with the diet consisting mainly of posho and beans.

Samson Kasasira, the spokesperson for the Rwizi region Police, confirmed the incident and informed the public that the body of the deceased remains in the mortuary at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, pending a postmortem examination.