Yaounde: Two die, one critical after eating poisoned food.

It is reported that at the origin of the happenstance is Pascaline Ponding, 19, who was protesting her father’s strict control of her movements. 

She is alleged to have put rat poison in her father’s food after he rebuked her for keeping late nights.

The father is said to have consumed the food with two of his neighbour’s children. Two of those reported dead are the children from the neighbour’s house, while the third victim is the girl’s father, who is said to be battling between life and death.

Ponding, The Guardian Post gathered, is said to have grown angry because her father did not keep his promise of allowing her to keep late nights after obtaining the General Certificate of Education, GCE, Advanced Level. 

She is said to have succeeded in this year’s session of the GCE Advanced Level, but the father insisted on her returning home early anytime she goes out. 

Ponding is quoted as having said she asked for permission to go out but the father refused. She is said to have sneaked while the father was watching news to return at 5:45a.m. before her father gets out of bed at 6.a.m. as his tradition is.

It is reported that the man scolded the daughter for having spent the night out of the house. After rebuking Ponding, the man is said to have asked her to prepare him breakfast. 

Accounts hold that it was at the time the supposedly poisoned breakfast was served that the deceased kids, a set of twin from the neigbour, came in and the man decided to share with them.

The kids are said to have convulsed and died on the spot while the man was rushed to hospital. 

One of the parents of the kids is said to have slumped and gone unconscious after getting news that the kids had died under unclear circumstances.

A resident of the area where the incident happened, Aliou Nadia, told The Guardian Post that the incident sounds unbelievable but true. Aliou said the kids who died were aged three. 

“I can't believe she could do such a thing! My brothers were innocent, and she took their lives away...those twins were just three years,” Aliou said, while urging competent state authorities to order investigations into the matter.

A friend of the accused is quoted as having said she was aware that Ponding was angry with her father but never imagined that she could go to the extent of allegedly poisoning food to serve him.

By Bernis Mfomo (Journalism student on internship)

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3227 of Thursday September 12, 2024