Laboratory tests of the local gin known that killed 17 people in Arua City show that the drink was excessively adulterated with methanol.
David Bahati the Minister of State for Industries, David Bahati told parliament on Thursday that, unlike ethanol, methanol is poisonous for human consumption since it can easily be absorbed through the eyes, skin, lungs, and digestive system with its overexposure causing death.
“The perpetrators deliberately and illegally used methanol as a cheaper alternative to increase the potency of the City 5 Gin, instead of Ethanol which is commonly used in making alcoholic beverages.
Bahati said that the samples of the packaged bottles of City 5 Gin were picked from the kiosk where it had been purchased by the victims and others from the Luluwiri Fruit Wine factory where it was manufactured.
“UNBS noted that it had certified Luluwiri Fruit Wine to produce Semi-Sweet Still Table Pineapple Wine after undergoing conformity assessment and that the same Luluwiri Fruit Wine had attempted to apply for certification of City 5 Pineapple Flavored Gin which failed laboratory analysis for having low alcohol content which was below 37.5 percent volume required of a Gin as per specifications of the standard,” Bahati told parliament.
He confirmed that the gin had not yet been certified by UNBS for conformity to the relevant standards and therefore should have not been in production and for sale to the public.
Upon inspection of the factory, Bahati said that UNBS found 40 unmarked drums and 8 filled jerry cans containing alcohol.
Bahati said that the methanol which was used by the factory to manufacture the gin is an industrial chemical that is mostly used to create fuel and as a solvent or denaturant for ethanol.
He told parliament that the suspects involved in the manufacture and sale of City 5 Gin have been arrested and are in Police custody. He added that UNBS had sealed off and suspended the production facilities until further notice.
“The Bureau has suspended the certification process of products from the suspected production facilities until further notice. The Bureau has placed Advertisements on local radios in West Nile Region to caution people against the consumption of City 5 Gin and other uncertified beverages,” Bahati said.
The Minister assured parliament that UNBS would intensify its enforcement activities on the market against producers of uncertified alcoholic beverages and other consumer products.
Bahati said that an inter-ministerial committee has been put in place to address the issue of advertisement of non-certified products by different media houses.
Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa directed the Minister to ensure that his Ministry emphasizes enforcement to avoid endangering Ugandans.
