The makers of City 5 gin, a locally brewed alcohol drink that killed close to 20 people, were sent to court on charges of manslaughter and murder.
Three individuals believed to be manufacturers of City 5 gin, a locally brewed alcohol drink have been sent to court on charges of manslaughter and murder following the death of close to 20 people who had consumed it.
According to a Nile Post article, the arraignment followed the sanctioning of the case file by Resident State Attorney (RSA) Arua who handed over three people thought to be behind the manufacture of the deadly gin to be held accountable in court.
According to the area operatives, the State Attorney advised that one suspect individual identified as Philliam Cadribo 28 years, the Disco Jockey (DJ) who was arrested while playing music at the place of manufacturing City5 was to be set free.
On the other side, two others including Rose Inzikuru aged 40 years and Gideon Adule 45 years were charged with manslaughter as they suspectedly caused death by manufacturing a drink which is harmful to the human body.
According to Josephine Angucia the regional spokesperson, the case was at first registered as general inquiries but upon clarification from the RSA, it changed to criminal file vide Arua CRB 869/2022.
She said three people including Norman Godfrey, the owner of the Shop in Mvara area in Arua City, from which victims bought City 5 waragi which suspectedly intoxicated them, were charged with manufacturing, selling, distribution and possession of products not conforming to the standard specification under UNBS Act.
“The casefile was sanctioned by the Resident State Attorney Arua, and was forwarded with the three suspects to Arua Court for trials,” Angucia said.
This however, comes at a time when government last week through the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), stopped the production and sale of the local gin.
According to the State Minister for Industry, David Bahati who confirmed the ban, the Bureau condoned off the factory immediate after receiving the sad news and has since stopped them from making any further sales or production.
‘’The Arua-based Luluwiri Fruit Wine factory, the producers of the adulterated gin was suspended until further notice. The Bureau has sealed off and suspended the production facilities where the adulterated gin was found until further notice,” Bahati told Parliament earlier on adding that the manufacturers of the drink were under police detention.
Meanwhile, the said drink left up to 17 people dead with many other victims still in hospital detention for suspected methanol poisoning, after they developed symptoms of poisoning such as stomach ache, dizziness and vomiting immediately after consuming the drink.
