Police in Busoga East have confirmed the death of two people who were on Sunday morning knocked dead by a speeding truck outside Masjid Umar, in Busowa town council, in Bugiri district, along the Jinja-Iganga-Busia highway.
The deceased whose particulars are not yet known, were taken to Bugiri General Hospital’s mortuary, awaiting postmortem.
It is reported that a pregnant woman, who was holding her three-year-old son stood outside the mosque adjacent to the highway when a track with registration number; KDE 144Q knocked them dead instantly.
The driver reportedly fled for fear of attacks from the rowdy members within the neighbouring community.
Eyewitnesses say that the fuel track which was coming from the Iganga district ran over the two victims, rammed into the mosque and destroyed part of it. Julius Kakooza, a retail shop operator in the area suspects that the track might have developed mechanical challenges which resulted in the accident.
The Imam of the mosque, Mohammed Naminya says that a dozen of pupils who were studying Quran teachings escaped from the mosque unharmed but, all the learning materials were destroyed.
Naminya suspects that the woman was probably heading to the neighbouring church.
On her part, the Busoga East police spokesperson, Diana Nandawula confirms the incident, adding that investigations are underway and the track has been impounded and is parked at Bugiri Central Police Station parking yard.