One family member dead, nine hospitalized after alleged food poisoning

Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | One person has been confirmed dead and nine others hospitalized in Soroti district after allegedly eating food laced with poison. The deceased has been identified as Michael Enyonu alias Ococo, 82, a resident of Olobai village, Kamuda sub county.

The others are Simon Eyanu, 32, Sarah Ajibo, 29, and seven minors who are recovering at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital where they were admitted. According to the police report, the family allegedly ate poison from sweet potatoes prepared for supper at their home on Wednesday.

After the meal, all the family members reportedly developed stomach problems followed by vomiting blood and diarrhea. Oscar Ageca, the East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman says that the family members fell ill and were rescued by a Samaritan who came around after two days.

“On March 11, 2022, a good Samaritan carried the whole family to the regional referral hospital at Soroti where one Enyonu Michael died. The rest of the family received treatment and are recovering”, Ageca said in the statement.

He added that the police are investigating the matter. “We appeal for calm and cooperation of the residents of Olabai village and family of the affected persons. We further want to dissuade the residents from any form of revenge action or recrimination of individuals without proper recourse to the law”.

Joseph Ebanu, the Kamuda sub county LC III chairperson says the reported poisoning has triggered anger and panic in the village but notes that the police have increased its presence in the area.

One of the residents in Olobai village who preferred anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, says that the food was reportedly poisoned in the kitchen, when Ajibo had gone to fetch water from the borehole.

But the medical report read to mourners on Sunday by the Soroti hospital staff only identified as Milton indicated that Enyonu died of lack of blood in the body. The medic, however didn’t indicate whether the condition was caused by the alleged food poisoning.

He told mourners that the relatives of the deceased rushed out with the body before postmortem was conducted, according to Ebanu. Efforts to speak to the health workers about the medical report on the cause of sickness of the entire family were futile as medics found in medical ward were not willing to speak over the matter on grounds that they were not authorized to communicate patients’ details.

The police says that they investigating a case of suspected poisoning.

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