Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Dan Wandera
Published on 2024-01-28 13:35:23
A deep sense of sorrow hangs over Kanyanda Village in Makulubita Sub County, Luweero District, as a family mourns the tragic loss of two siblings, 30-year-old Margaret Nakimera and 50-year-old Yonasan Ssempijja.
The untimely demise occurred when both individuals fell into an abandoned pit latrine in their community. The Savannah Region Police identified the victims and provided details of the unfortunate sequence of events. Margaret Nakimera, a house help at Ms Faith Nalwanga’s residence, had gone to fetch firewood on January 27, 2024. Tragically, she accidentally fell into the open pit latrine, a fall that proved fatal.
Upon discovering Nakimera’s predicament, her brother, Yonasan Ssempijja, bravely attempted to rescue her. However, in a heart-wrenching turn of events, he too fell into the same pit and lost his life instantly.
Mr Sam Twineamazima, the Savannah Region Police Spokesperson, reported that the Police fire brigade team from Luweero Central Police Station successfully retrieved the lifeless bodies of the siblings. At the time of filing this story, police had not released the postmortem results, but relatives suggested that the victims likely suffered from suffocation and injuries due to the fall into the abandoned pit latrine, estimated to be more than 45 feet deep.
Despite attempts to independently verify the information from the relatives, the Monitor was unable to obtain the Police postmortem report by press time on Sunday.
Police sources revealed that a case of rash and Neglect is being investigated with a possibility of sanctioning the owner of the abandoned pit. The investigation into this tragic incident continues, with the community grappling with the loss of two lives in this heartbreaking accident.
Faith Nalwanga, the employer of the deceased Margaret Nakimera, said the family grew suspicious when Nakimera failed to return home even after four hours of reportedly leaving to gather firewood.
The Ugandan law categorises incomplete and uncovered pits as public nuisances, and the owner of such open pits may face charges of rash and neglect if accidents occur. This charge is derived from Section 227 of the Penal Code Act.
The community is left to mourn the loss of two lives in this tragic accident, and the investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.
