The territorial Police in Kumi district have kicked off investigations into circumstances under which three children died after allegedly being poisoned in an act of revenge.

The victims have been identified as John Okodos (9), Constantine Olupot (6), and Ignatius Adodo (4), all belonging to the Tom Omudu all residents of Okudumo village, Okudumo Parish, Mukongoro subcounty in Kumi district.

According to reports, the suspect, Hellen Adongo, is believed to have laced sweet potatoes with poison and forced the children to consume them.

The incident was brought to the attention of the authorities by Julius Isudo, the chairman of LC11 in Okudumo Parish, who reported the matter to the police.

Police investigations have revealed that Hellen Adongo, the alleged perpetrator, had a motive rooted in a recent financial dispute with Tom Omudu, the father of the deceased children.

Adongo had reportedly been the treasurer of a savings group, from which a significant amount of money was stolen last year.
Omudu was arrested in connection with the theft but was later released, causing frustration for Adongo, who had hoped to recover her lost funds.

John Robert Tukei,East Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson, confirmed that a murder case by poisoning has been opened against Hellen Adongo and her husband, Julius Ogwang.

The case has been registered under SD REF No 07/28/12/2023 and CRB No 806/2023 at Kumi CPS as investigation went on.

According to Tukei, one of the deceased children, in a dying confession, revealed that they were coerced into consuming the poisoned food by Adongo, who had allegedly threatened harm to Omudu or his children.

Postmortem results conducted by a pathologist at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital indicated the presence of substances suspected to be poisonous in the children’s bodies, confirming the tragic nature of their deaths.