Africa-Press – Uganda. One person has died and two others admitted to Pakele Health Centre III in Pakele Town Council in Adjumani District for alleged alcohol abuse.
The deceased has been identified as Joshua Juruga, 30, while those admitted have been identified as Zacheo Baru and Geoffrey Teri Maku aged 41 and 37, respectively, all residents of Ciforo Sub-county.
Mr James Buga, the Ciforo Village chairperson, told Daily Monitor that the deceased’s body was discovered at the roadside in the wee hours of Tuesday at Okawa Village, Pakele Sub-county.
“We established that he (deceased) left a local bar at about 2am on Tuesday while drunk to go and collect more waragi since the bar had run out of the drink,” Mr Buga said.
He added that Juruga was in the company of his friends, who had reportedly put up a drinking contest, where the winner would win Shs10,000.
On Monday evening, Juruga reportedly bought 14 bottles of the locally-brewed waragi (lojuru) to take for his casual workers in his garden.
When he reached the bar, he reportedly decided to chat with his friends but resorted to excessive drinking.
“They drank nine of the 14 bottles but in the contest he was sure to recover all the nine bottles meant for his workers, although they agreed to switch to another local brand (kasese),” Mr Buga said.
Mr Welborn Kenyi, the Pakele Sub-county chairperson, said the bar attendant had declined to sell more drinks to the trio.
“… but Juruga [the deceased] walked out to look for more waragi but unfortunately, he could not reach the destination and collapsed along the way,” Mr Kenyi said.
He added: “Today I reported the matter to the local authorities and to Lewa Police Post, we then went in the company of the police to the scene where the deceased collapsed and died and his body was picked up.”
Mr Buga said the trio’s other accomplices reportedly told police that they had taken the alcohol on empty stomachs.
Mr Benon Byamukama, the Adjumani District Police Commander, confirmed the incident.
“The body was given to relatives since it was confirmed he died of excessive alcohol consumption,” he said.
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