Budo fire cause still unknown
A WEEK after the inferno at Budo Junior School in which 20 pupils perished, the cause of the raging fire still remains a mystery. Preliminary forensic tests carried out so far have not yet established foul play.
By Herbert Ssempogo,
Steven Candia and
Josephine Maseruka
A WEEK after the inferno at Budo Junior School in which 20 pupils perished, the cause of the raging fire still remains a mystery. Preliminary forensic tests carried out so far have not yet established foul play, The New Vision has learnt.
A team from the Government laboratories in Wandegeya went to the school and collected samples among the debris.
Sources close to the investigation yesterday said although initial tests to find traces of flammable material like petrol or explosives were negative, the results were not conclusive.
“No flammable material other than the pupils property was detected. But this could be due to a number of factors. Further tests may have to be carried out,†the source said.
A great deal of evidence, he added, was distorted by hundreds of people who dashed to the school following the April 14 disaster.
In addition, the water that was poured onto the fire could have washed away the evidence.
Tests on samples from the dormitory were carried out before the tests on the remains of the 20 children.
Meanwhile, the Police yesterday released the remains of 10-year-old Barbra Natugonza after samples from her paternal uncle, Reuben Karugaba, matched with hers.
Escorted by six relatives, Karugaba picked the body from the Anatomy Department at Mulago Hospital and proceeded to Fort Portal.
Her remains will be laid to rest today at 2:00pm at Buheesi, on Kasese Road, according to her guardian, Kenneth Kyamulesire. The girl’s parents died in 2002.
In a related development, the Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba, said the Director of Public Prosecution was perusing the file containing evidence against the 11 suspects currently in detention in various Police stations in Kampala.
Among the suspects is 53-year-old Basirika, the Nassolo dormitory matron. Her lawyer, Richard Kiwanuka, yesterday said he would request the Police to allow his diabetic client receive treatment in hospital.
Without disclosing the other names, Nabakooba said she was optimistic the suspects would appear in court soon.
The Police have interrogated over 50 people from whom statements were recorded.
The New Vision also learned that the school’s head teacher, Livingstone Ddungu, was on Sunday interrogated by detectives at the Criminal Investigations Department, although Ddungu himself denied this.
“I am at the school permanently,†he told The New Vision by phone.
By yesterday detectives at Kibuli were recording statements from residents who witnessed the chilling incident.
Steven Candia and
Josephine Maseruka
A WEEK after the inferno at Budo Junior School in which 20 pupils perished, the cause of the raging fire still remains a mystery. Preliminary forensic tests carried out so far have not yet established foul play, The New Vision has learnt.
A team from the Government laboratories in Wandegeya went to the school and collected samples among the debris.
Sources close to the investigation yesterday said although initial tests to find traces of flammable material like petrol or explosives were negative, the results were not conclusive.
“No flammable material other than the pupils property was detected. But this could be due to a number of factors. Further tests may have to be carried out,†the source said.
A great deal of evidence, he added, was distorted by hundreds of people who dashed to the school following the April 14 disaster.
In addition, the water that was poured onto the fire could have washed away the evidence.
Tests on samples from the dormitory were carried out before the tests on the remains of the 20 children.
Meanwhile, the Police yesterday released the remains of 10-year-old Barbra Natugonza after samples from her paternal uncle, Reuben Karugaba, matched with hers.
Escorted by six relatives, Karugaba picked the body from the Anatomy Department at Mulago Hospital and proceeded to Fort Portal.
Her remains will be laid to rest today at 2:00pm at Buheesi, on Kasese Road, according to her guardian, Kenneth Kyamulesire. The girl’s parents died in 2002.
In a related development, the Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba, said the Director of Public Prosecution was perusing the file containing evidence against the 11 suspects currently in detention in various Police stations in Kampala.
Among the suspects is 53-year-old Basirika, the Nassolo dormitory matron. Her lawyer, Richard Kiwanuka, yesterday said he would request the Police to allow his diabetic client receive treatment in hospital.
Without disclosing the other names, Nabakooba said she was optimistic the suspects would appear in court soon.
The Police have interrogated over 50 people from whom statements were recorded.
The New Vision also learned that the school’s head teacher, Livingstone Ddungu, was on Sunday interrogated by detectives at the Criminal Investigations Department, although Ddungu himself denied this.
“I am at the school permanently,†he told The New Vision by phone.
By yesterday detectives at Kibuli were recording statements from residents who witnessed the chilling incident.