Doctor pins Brig. Kayanja's newphew over poison

By Farooq Kasule

Dr. Watson E. Batambuze, a medical doctor at Nakasero hospital, Tuesday testified in the case in which a man is battling charges of attempted murder of the former operation wembly chief Brig. Elly Kayanja.

It is alleged that Alex Sekitto Kayanja (Brig. Kayanja's nephew) on January 16 2013, at Mutundwe Village in Rubaga Division, Kampala, attempted to kill his uncle, Brig Kayanja by poisoning.

Batambuze 73, in his testimony before the Buganda road chief magistrate Flavia Nabakooza, said that on January 16, 2013 at around 10pm, he was requested to appear at the emegency room to attend to a patient who was in a critical condition.

He found out that his blood pressure was high, excessively vomiting, sweating, very cold, had diarrohea, could not breath well and was frothing from nose and mouth.

"I tried to consult from his aides because he could not talk and they told me that he had a good day but after he had his supper (fish in g-nut sauce and rice), he started vomiting excessively, developed diarrhoea and was sweating," Batambuze said.

Batambuze said that after the explanations, he subjected him to a physical examination and found out that he was extremely cold and his blood pressure measured 120/60 and his heart beating was normal.

"His blood work was 18.2, white cells 11.8, Kidney was okay and he had no malaria" Batambuze said.

After the first examination, I subjected him to a life support machine to normalise his breath and at a point, I shocked his heart and everything turned to normal.

"Due to severe acidiosis development because of what was going on, I treated him by use of sodium to reverse the poisoning," Batambuze explained

Because of the impression we got from him, we went through a number of possibility tests on him like high blood pressure, diarrhoea and others and we came to the conclusion that though he had other infections, he had an organ phosopate poisoning.

Since I spent the whole night in the hospital looking after him, in the morning I invited other doctors led by Dr. Opio, prof. Otim, Dr.Ssali and Dr.David Karyesubula who specialise in curing different infections to manage his him.

However, the following day, I was informed that his condition had again worsened and they referred him to Case Clinic for further treatment before he went twas flown o America.

In conclusion, Batambuze said that though he had some other problems, the possible cause of his illiness was a result of poisoning.

In reply to the question asked by the defense lawyer Brian Sserunjogi, whether he knew Brig.Kayanja on a personal level, he said he had only heard of him.

Prosecution led by Lillian Omara alleges that Sekitto and others still at large on January 16, 2013, at Mutundwe Village in Rubaga Division, Kampala, attempted to kill his uncle, Brig Kayanja by poisoning.

In October last year, Brig Kayanja testified that Sekitto tried to kill him by lacing his food with rat poison in an attempt to kill him. He also faces an alternative charge of fraud.

The matter was adjourned to November 26 for fruther hearing.