A -nine year-old primary one pupil at Credo Daycare Nursery and Primary School in Laroo Division, Gulu has died after drowning in a hotel swimming pool in Gulu Municipality.
Bol-GarangDiar, from South Sudan was found dead at Bomah Hotel swimming pool last evening. Garang was living with his parents in African Quarters, Pece Pawel Central, Pece division in Gulu Municipality.
The deceased was part of 82 pupils who had been taken at the Hotel for their routine swimming lessons at the children’s swimming pool.
Reports indicate that after an hour of swimming lessons, the pupils were taken back to school but the school authorities realized Garang wasn’t among them.
“When the teachers reached school, they realized one of the pupils was missing. Teachers got concerned and started calling his parents to find out whether he (Garang) had reached home but the response was no, however on searching the swimming pool, his body was discovered lifeless,” Mr Okema said.
The Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema, said that the body of Garang was later found in the swimming pool after a search was conducted. He says the swimming pool attendant at the hotel has since been arrested to help in investigations.
He says the minor’s remains have been taken to Gulu Hospital Mortuary for postmortem. Police blames the death of the minor on negligence on the part of the swimming pool attendant ,identified as Simon Peter Lubangakene, and teachers who took pupils for the swimming lessons.
While most pupils undertaking swimming lessons are required to put on life jackets, few schools in Gulu enforce this requirement.
