Two children poisoned

The deceased Bernard  Akanyijuka and Evas Akampurira

Police in Rukungiri are holding a couple and their son for allegedly poisoning two children who died instantly on Saturday.

The Police spokesman for Kigezi sub-region, Elly Maate identified the suspects as Benson Tumuramye, 42; his wife Chance Dinavence, 36; and their 12-year-old son Alex Turyasingura, all from Kempazi cell, Kikongi parish in Bwambara sub-county Rukungiri district.

Maate said the deceased were also identified as, Bernard Akanyijuka, 6 and Evas Akampurira, 4 of Burembo, Kyaburere parish in Bugangari sub-county who had gone to pay a visit to their grandmother in Bwambara together with their mother Sylivia Kyomugisha.

The Police said Kyomugisha, the mother of the deceased children is a sister to Tumuramye, one of the suspects.

"The suspects confessed to have killed the children because they felt their grandmother favoured them," police said.

"I came on Friday to help my ageing mother in her garden and on Saturday, we went in the garden leaving children at home with their cousins. I was shocked on return to find them dead," she lamented.

The Police said Tumuramye reportedly bought pesticide for killing tobacco pests (Furidani) and gave it to his wife and told her to mix it in porridge and give to the children. The wife allegedly mixed the poison with porridge and gave it to her son to give to those children.

The Police said the bodies were taken to Rwakabengo Health Centre for postmortem and were buried on Tuesday in Burembo Kyaburere.

Maate said the police inquiries are still going on and the suspects will face the courts of law as soon as possible. He said police stopped angry residents who wanted to lynch the suspects.

"We thank residents for adhering to the police call not to take the law in their hands where some of the innocent people and property would have been destroyed, we shall do the needful to make sure culprits are heavily punished," he said.