KAMPALA – One of the family members of Ismael Magoba, 11 who drowned to death at Mestil Hotel has lashed out at the manner in which Police handled the case, and accused the hotel management of attempting to buy off the silence of the family with Shs2m.
The details of the death were made public today by one lady who identified as Magoba’s family, but this site can’t independently prove her relations.
Taking to Twitter, the lady who goes by the names Rihanna’s sister narrated the ordeal she went through leading to Magoba’s drowning and her arrest by Police in a lengthy twitter thread which has been reproduced below;
Earlier this week I lost a cousin at mestil hotel on Sunday and everything happened so fast but the way tables turned was shocking. I was blamed for his death just because I was the one with the kids, I got arrested and these people didn’t even think of what I was going through
— Rihanna’s sister?? (@shleig) November 9, 2018
On 4th November 2018 which was last Sunday me and my family had decided to spend the day at Mestil Hotel and we made reservations the previous night, however, we got late because of some issues with our car but eventually, we made it there.
We were a family of 1, I won’t deny we had a good time in the beginning but later after eating, the kids insisted that they wanted to swim and they told manager who was in charge so I was told to sign a form that permits the children into the pool since they were below 12 years and they were given wristbands to allow them into the pool.
They were four kids and I wrote their names on the form and signed on it then they got into the pool but I had told them to keep in the small pool where the water isn’t that deep but unfortunately, one of them did not listen.
As I left the pool to go back to the restaurant to pick up my phone and come back to take their pictures I received bad news that one of the kids had drowned and it was our cousin Ismael magoba but I couldn’t believe because I had just been with them and said I was coming back pic.twitter.com/jvs0sgnRmI
— Rihanna’s sister?? (@shleig) November 9, 2018
I went to back to the poolside to check on them and the hotel lifeguards told us to stay away from the scene so we kept out hoping for good news but we could see the little boy was lifeless then they got a car and took him to Nsambya hospital with one cousin of ours.
We kept asking them what the state of the boy was and they kept us strong saying he had some pulse but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital then they drove back to the boy’s place and wanted to leave the body there at home since there was no big person at home.
Good enough, a guardian of the little boy was there and rejected the two million shillings the hotel guys had offered saying they had to report to the police and make a clear post-mortem so I was picked from home and taken to Nsambya police station then later taken to Kabalagala(Police Station) to make a statement but when I reached there, the policeman who was interrogating me was accusing me and blaming me saying I pushed the boy into the swimming pool and therefore I was charged for murder.
I refused and told him I could never do such a thing and he insisted saying I might have pushed him since he isn’t, even so, close a relative and just a cousin. I had no phone at that moment I had gone to the police thinking I’m making a statement and then they took me to another office and the next thing I was told that I’m arrested.
They said I was arrested because I was the one with the kids. I got arrested without even my family knowing. The guy who was making the statement had asked me who we lived with and I told him that we just lost our dad last month and our mom isn’t in the country
So they took me to the cell thinking maybe I have no parents and nobody was going to rescue me, I didn’t even mourn in peace I was just thinking of all the mistakes I made I wished I had stayed longer at the pool may be a life would be saved.
Earlier this week I lost a cousin at mestil hotel on Sunday and everything happened so fast but the way tables turned was shocking. I was blamed for his death just because I was the one with the kids, I got arrested and these people didn’t even think of what I was going through
— Rihanna’s sister?? (@shleig) November 9, 2018
I was kept in the cell that night but I was thinking of how I’m going to get out because I really had no crime and later like after three hours my aunt came to check on me and they had refused her to check on me then she made a call to the statehouse and then I was allowed to see my family.
My mom was restless making endless phone calls. The people I had gone with to the police were deceived that I’m still making a statement yet I had already been arrested if it wasn’t for aunt Aisha Alibhai I wouldn’t be out of that place.
She insisted that I get released but I couldn’t be released that night so I was released in the morning, but on bond and I was given a bond for two weeks. My dad’s brother Mr. Musoke also came in and I was saved since they knew him as a soldier.
Those people of the police kept asking which family I was from. Ismael was buried on Monday and the next day some policeman called me saying I was supposed to be back to jail since we had finished burial but really why would they treat me like that like I have no rights?
I told the man to call my family and tell them they need me, he didn’t call back and the next morning another woman from the police station also called asking if I’m on my way to police and they said they had no details of any of my family members but yet I was released.
I also asked them why I was released without them getting my details but I think they thought I have money to give them
I then told the lady that Aisha Alibhai had left her work ID and they should get the phone number from there but when I called Mr. Musoke he had no idea.
He called the DPC and they all didn’t know about me reporting back to that place and I came to think of it these people want money maybe. Guys help me to retweet for awareness because I’m not even studying in fear of getting killed or even kidnapped.
I just stay indoors to avoid any problems with those people and I’m hurting so much I have my rights as a person and don’t have to be threatened like that just because another party has money.
These people are doing all this and not thinking of what we are going through, my siblings are very young and barely ten years but they are always worrying and asking if those people won’t come and take me away from them it breaks my heart. There’s a lot more about this story.
We just lost our dad and again a brother and all this is too much for kids to take in but just because of the love of money we are going through emotional torture… I’ve missed out so many parts of this story but I’m going to send a link for everyone who would like to follow up
