A 25-year-old student of St Michael Secondary School in Nyakahya, Kasese District, has died after allegedly ingesting rat poison following a false accusation of theft. The deceased, identified as Thembo Miker Tumwine, died on Tuesday after allegedly taking the poison at his home in Kisanga Village, Kisolholho Parish, Kasese District.
According to police, Tumwine had been accused by a fellow student of stealing a pair of trousers and selling them to another person in Nyakahya Ward. The complainant, accompanied by two friends, reportedly went to Tumwine’s home, where they found him with his mother, Biira Grace, and demanded that he accompany them to the alleged buyer of the trousers.
Police said the complainant subsequently demanded Shs123,000 as compensation and threatened to report Tumwine to police if the money was not paid. It is alleged that Tumwine’s mother paid the money in an attempt to prevent her son from being taken into police custody. Later, at about 1:00 pm, Tumwine allegedly bought rat poison and ingested it. He returned home and was later found unconscious in his sister’s bedroom when the family called him for lunch.
His relatives rushed him to Bwera Hospital, where he received first aid. Police said Tumwine told his mother that he had bought and ingested the poison himself because he was ashamed and angry over what he described as false allegations of theft. Despite efforts by medical personnel to save him, Tumwine died at about 5:00 pm.
Elly Maate, the Rwenzori East Regional Police spokesperson, said police visited the scene and have launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding Tumwine’s death. The body was taken to Bwera Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
