ARUA, UGANDA: Police in West Nile are investigating the death of 14 people after they allegedly took “City 5”, a local potent gin produced by City 5 distillers in the Ayivu division of Arua City.
The death started occurring on Friday until Sunday morning while several other victims are still hospitalised. According to police, seven of the deaths occurred in Mvara and Oluko suburbs of Arua City and seven others died in Madi Okollo District.
Ms Josephine Angucia, the West Nile Police spokesperson confirmed the incident noting that police have made some arrests and cordoned off the manufacturing plant of the gin.
“We have picked samples of the gin which will be taken to the government analytical laboratory in Kampala to ascertain if it is not good for human consumption,” she said.
Ms Angucia cautioned the locals to stop drinking the gin as investigations continue.
At Garia village in Madi Okollo District alone, four people died after allegedly consuming the gin while 13 others are being managed at Inde health centre III. A nurse at the facility who requested not to be named said that the patients presented with headaches, backache, restlessness, and difficulties in breathing.
“These people come as if they are going to be okay but their condition worsens from nowhere. They present with headache, backache, and difficulties with breathing,” she said. The gin is parked in 200ml plastic bottles and lacks the UNBS quality mark. It costs Shs1500 on the local market.
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