Kasese boy buried alive in sand quarry

By Wilson Asiimwe

KASESE - A 14-year-old boy in Buhuna II village, Karambi sub-county in Kasese district died when a quarry from where he was excavating sand caved in and buried him alive on Sunday.

Baker Kawonawo, the officer in charge of Mpondwe customs Police Station, said the incident happened at around 4:00pm.

He identified the deceased as Moses Kabyemera, the son of Julius Tibamanya.

Kawonawo said Kabyemera was a Primary Six pupil at Kamasasa Primary School and that he was alone in the sand quarry at the time of the incident.

“We were called to the scene by people who heard the boy crying. However, by the time we got there, the boy had already been covered by the sand,” he said.

The boy's body was taken to Bwera Hospital for a post-mortem examination and later handed to relatives for burial.

He said the Police is investigating the circumstances under which the boy left school and went to mine sand. The deceased boy was in the boarding section of the school.

Kawonawo said Kabyemera’s death could have resulted from negligence by both the teachers and his parents.

He said it has become a common practice in Karambi sub-county for children to dodge school and instead go to mine sands, and so urged parents to always be aware of the whereabouts of their children.