In a devastating turn of events, police at Old Kampala have apprehended a Somali national, Abdul Rahim Bashir Khadir, following allegations that he fatally struck an 18-month-old baby named Diana Chebet.
The heart-wrenching incident occurred when young Diana was within the vicinity of her home, tragically dragged under the tires of a speeding car for over 100 meters.
Doreen Nanjala, the grieving mother of the deceased, recounted the horrifying ordeal, explaining that her precious child was innocently near their residence when the reckless driver’s vehicle snatched away her life.
The community was filled with righteous anger, with enraged residents threatening to take matters into their own hands and mete out mob justice upon Khadir.
Reports indicate that instead of promptly seeking medical attention for the critically injured baby, the driver allegedly prioritized dropping off other children he had picked up from school.
The furious locals surrounded his vehicle, poised to take action, but the intervention of the police prevented a potentially tragic escalation.
Confirming the arrest, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango disclosed that Abdul Rahim Bashir Khadir is currently detained at the Old Kampala Police Station while investigations into the incident progress.
Meanwhile, the young victim, Diana Chebet, was immediately rushed to a nearby medical facility, where medical professionals, unfortunately, pronounced her life extinguished.
At present, the Old Kampala traffic crash investigators have filed charges of reckless driving leading to the death of a person against Khadir. Additionally, his vehicle, registered under number UBN 355B, has been impounded as part of the ongoing investigation.
While Khadir maintains that he did not see the child, law enforcement authorities assert that as he was driving through a residential area, he should have exercised caution and anticipated the presence of children and pedestrians along the narrow access route.
Tragically, Uganda witnesses the loss of over 600 children under the age of 18 in road accidents each year, with many of these incidents occurring during the journey to and from school. Sam Bambanza, the Executive Director of Hope for Victims of Traffic Accidents, has launched a campaign advocating for the implementation of policies that enforce a 30km/hr speed limit in all school zones and residential areas.
The aim is to enhance the safety of children and pedestrians, mitigating the risk of accidents and their devastating consequences.
