Four women in Rubanda district detained for poisoning mourners

By David Nshemereirwe

Four people are in trouble over a connection with suspected poisoning that left dozens of mourners admitted to various health facilities in Rubanda district.

The suspects currently being detained at Rubanda police station are Regina Orishaba, Groli Kyorimpa, Juliet Kyomukama, and Hodira Muramye, all residents of Kashasha parish, Ikumba Sub County, Rubanda district.

After the burial of a resident only identified as Celina Katuro in Kitahurira village in Kashasha parish on 6^th January 2023, mourners who had eaten food at the burial developed stomach pain, vomiting, running stomach, sweating, and general weakness.

In the evening hours of the same day, dozens were rushed to Hamurwa health, Muko health center IVs, Ikumba and Kiizi health center IIIs and other various private health units in Ikumba and Hamurwa sub-counties in Rubanda district after their situation worsened.

The victims received treatment and were later discharged on Saturday evening.  However, after their discharge, locals started accusing Orishaba, Kyorimpa, Kyomukama, and Muramye of being behind the act of poisoning food that had been prepared at the funeral with intention of killing the masses in the area.

Security authorities led by Lilian Ruteraho Tushemereirwe, the Rubanda Resident District Commissioner, and Banes Aine, Officer-in-Charge of the Criminal Investigations Department at Rubanda Police Station convened a meeting at Kitahurira Catholic Parish to calm down angry locals after they had threatened to lynch the suspects.

Stephen Kahanda , one of the victims narrated that he immediately developed general body weakness and serious stomach pain.

Kahanda said that while he was still at the nearby drug shop to buy drugs in the form of first aid, he received reports that dozens of other victims were being rushed to the health facilities with related health difficulties.

According to Kahanda, about 200 locals were rushed to the health facilities.  He is thankful to God that all of them were discharged from health facilities.

Other locals who were affected by the incident including Isaac Besigye and  Remegio Muhumuza pinned the suspects who were seen with ground nuts in the kitchen yet they had not been listed among those preparing food at the funeral.

Ruteraho started by interrogating the suspects before ordering their arrest.

According to Ruteraho, the arrested suspects are helping in investigations of why they were cited in the kitchen before the incident yet they were not on the official team that was responsible for cooking.

Ruteraho said that security officials have registered 88 cases of locals who developed complications after eating the food.

Ruteraho however warned locals against unlawful attempts to lynch others instead of using relevant authorities to solve the matter.

Aine said that preliminary investigations and consultations from Rubanda district health department indicate that the complications could have been caused by a bacterium dumped in the food.