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.