Police have confirmed nine people who died in a fatal accident that occurred on Kampala-Jinja Highway on Tuesday night.
Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Region Police Spokesperson says the fatal accident occurred at around 01:00am on January 3, 2024 at Bulyanteete along Kampala-Jinja highway in Lugazi Municipality, Buikwe district.
Butoto says the accident involved a single truck registration number UBN 533T, a Mitsubishi Fuso truck.
She however reports that Police have not yet ascertained whether the driver of this truck is among the deceased or not.
“Available reports indicate that, the truck, carrying sacks of oranges and passengers covered with a tarpaulin, lost control on its way from Jinja to Kampala. It flipped over, and the passengers got covered with the sacks of oranges, leaving nine dead and many others injured,” said Butoto in a press statement issued on Wednesday afternoon.
Police say that the bodies of the deceased were conveyed to Kawolo General Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem examination. The injured including those with fractured body parts are admitted at Kawolo Hospital where they are receiving medical attention.
According to the Police’s press statement, only two out of the nine bodies so far have been identified.
“Our officers are working hard to remove the orange sacks carefully to see if there are any survivors or also other dead bodies,” she said.
Police managed to tow the truck off the accident scene and it is parked at Lugazi Police Station.
Reports indicate that out of the nine bodies, five are men and four are women including a child of around 12 years.
The two identified dead persons include; Paul Mutebi of Mbale and Alone Apieun of Omerein village in Mukongo sub-county in Kumi district.