A four-year-old boy has died after being knocked by a speeding vehicle while fleeing a dead snake along Alero-Gulu Road at Lalar Village in Alero Sub-county, Nwoya District.
David Rubangakene met his fateful day when he and his 10-year-old sibling were returning home from Alero Oywee trading centre where they had been sent to buy cooking oil.
According to the Alero Sub-county LC 3 Chairman, Mr Paul Okeny, as the two headed back home, they saw a dead snake prompting the deceased to flee into the middle of the road.
However, a speeding Isuzu double-cabin vehicle registration number UBB 231A came from behind and knocked him. The little boy died on the way being rushed to St Mary’s Hospital, Lacor in Gulu.
“I am sure he [Rubangakene] would not have died in the accident had it not been because of the snake they saw and immediately ran into the middle of the road without noticing the vehicle coming from behind,” Mr Okeny said.
The chairman urged drivers plying the newly rehabilitated Alero-Gulu Road to avoid over-speeding so they can avoid road carnage and spare the lives of the little ones.
“Majority of the people in this area are not used to many vehicles. There used to pass only one vehicle in a day in this area but now that the road has been improved, there are many vehicles passing here. It will take time for these people to get used to the vehicles,” he told Kazi-njema News.
When contacted, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa region police spokesperson said Camillus Kinyera Chem, the driver of the vehicle that knocked the boy dead was arrested and released on police bond to negotiate with the bereaved family members.
“The scene was visited and a sketch plan reconstructed. The vehicle was inspected as more inquiries continue,” he said.
The law
According to the Penal Code Act Section 229, any person who unlawfully does any act or omits to do any act which is his or her duty to do, not being an act or omission specified in sections 227 and 228, by which act or omission harm is caused to any person, commits a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for six months.
