Police close waragi factory after 12 die

Police in Arua have closed the factory which manufactures a locally distilled gin, following the death of 12 people.

They died in separate intervals after consuming the local potent that is said to have been intoxicated. 

Speaking to Monitor in an interview yesterday, the West Nile regional police spokesperson, Ms Josephine Angucia, said 13 others remain admitted to various health centres.

“They [deceased] are suspected to have developed complications after drinking a locally-manufactured waragi,” Ms Angucia said.

She said preliminary investigations indicate that they registered various incidents between August 20 and 21 at Arua Central Police Station in Arua City and Ogoko Police Station in Madi-Okollo district, respectively.

“Each territorial police team visited the scene of crime and conveyed the bodies to Arua Regional Referral Hospital for post-mortem. The police cordoned off the place where the gin is manufactured pending investigations. Samples were picked from the places of sale and manufacturing, to be submitted to the government chemist for analysis,” she said.

So far, four suspects have been arrested from the drinking and manufacturing places to assist with investigations.

The owner of the company is said to be on the run.

One of the survivors, Mr Alija Andiku, told Daily Monitor yesterday that he was shocked to learn that two of his friends died shortly after taking the gin.

Mr Andiku, who is a teacher, said they were asked to test the gin during a company promotion at the trading centre.

 “I took the gin with a black top on Thursday and I never got any reaction. Later on Friday morning, I took the blue topped label and I experienced some mild reaction after I got dizzy. Later that day, I was informed that our LC2 chairperson, Nelson Awuzu, 74, who was in my company passed on after taking the gin,” he said.

Speaking to Monitor yesterday, Mr Philliam Okpoa, a nephew of late Awuzu, said his uncle got stomach complications last Wednesday evening after taking the waragi, and complained of a burning sensation in his chest at midnight.

“He had breathing complications and a blocked chest. We had to rush him to Rhema hospital. The doctors carried out some clinical examinations and at around 3am, the doctors called us back only to find that my uncle had passed on,” he said.   

According to the post-mortem report, Awuzu had an enlarged gallbladder and swelling on the liver. 

Police released names of the seven people who died who included Awuzu, Isaac Alioni, 47, Edemara Dick, 43, Gordon Tito, 51, Titus Awudele and Cosmas Karibu, 53.

The six, who died in Madi-Okollo, are Charles Ofuti, Gilbert Angutoko, Anguzu, Wolo, Toko and Valentino Lemiya.

The alleged gin is packaged in 200ml plastic bottles and sold at Shs1,000. The ingredients as labelled include demineralised water, extra natural alcohol and pineapple flavour.

However, the bottle lacks the quality certification mark from Uganda National Bureau of Standards. 

Efforts to get a response from the factory owners proved futile as their known  telephone numbers were switched off.

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