Fourteen people in Arua city have died after allegedly consuming a local alcohol potent Gin.
The deceased reportedly died at different intervals between Friday and Sunday while some of their colleagues were hospitalized over the same concern.
Police in West Nile have confirmed the deaths and say they are investigating the matter to confirm the allegations that the deceased indeed took the local brew identified as “City 5”, produced by City 5 distillers in the Ayivu division, Arua city.
The gin, costing UGX 1500 shs on the local market, is parked in 200ml plastic bottles and lacks the UNBS Quality Certification mark.
Josephine Angucia, the West Nile Police spokesperson says seven of the deaths occurred in Mvara and Oluko suburbs in Arua city and seven others in Madi Okollo district.
Angucia says police have already arrested some suspects from the manufacturing plant of the gin and picked samples of the gin for dispatch to the government analytical laboratory.
Angucia has also cautioned the locals to stop drinking the gin as investigations continue.
At Garia village in Madi Okollo districts alone, four people died after allegedly consuming the gin while 13 others are being managed at Inde health center 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 whenever they bring them, they come as if they are going to be okay but their condition worsens from nowhere. They present with headache, backache, difficulties with breathing”, she said.
