11-month-old baby burnt to death in Uganda

Police in Zombo District are investigating a case of murder after an

11-month-old baby was burnt to death in a house by a suspected

arsonists.

Authorities said Pretty Pimer Pamungu was burnt to death at Amogi

cell, Jupandindo ward, Padea town council, Zombo District on Monday by

unknown assailants.

The West Nile Region Police Public Relations Officer, Ms Josephine

Angucia, said the 12 pm attack was reported by Pamungu’s 20-year-old

mother, Ms Jennifer Ayunga, a resident of Amogi cell Padea town

council.

"It's alleged that at about midday, the mother of the deceased went to

a nearby valley to look for vegetables, leaving her two young children

aged 4 years and 11 months behind. The youngest, now the deceased, was

sleeping inside their grass-thatched house. While in the valley, the

mother heard an alarm being sounded from the direction of her house.

She ran back home only to find many people gathered in her compound,

including her husband. The house had been razed down," she said.

Ms Angucia added that at the time, the roof had collapsed inside, and

that the first responders had recovered the baby’s charred body from

the heap of burning ash.

Police visited and documented the scene, recorded statements from

relevant witnesses, examined the body at the scene, and handed it over

to the relatives for burial.

As efforts to identify and arrest the suspected arsonist are underway.

Police have advised the community not to leave their young children at

home alone, and that they should be vigilant because the dry season is

approaching with its issues, where cases of houses getting burnt are

common in such a season.