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BUIKWE - Police on Wednesday, January 3, 2023, confirmed nine people had been killed after a truck that was carrying oranges covered with tarpaulin overturned in Buikwe district.

Hellen Butoto, the Police Public Relations officer in charge of Ssezibwa Region said the crash happened at around 1:00 am in the wee hours of Wednesday.

“Police in Buikwe district has registered a fatal accident that occurred at Bulyantente near flyover along Kampala- Jinja highway in Buikwe district involving motor vehicle registration number UBN 533T Mitsubishi Fuso truck white in colour driven by a yet unidentified driver,” Butoto said.

She explained that the alleged motor vehicle registration number UBN 533T Mitsubishi Fuso was being driven by yet unidentified driver from Jinja side to Kampala side while carrying sacks of oranges with passengers covered with a tarpaulin concealing passengers to avoid being arrested by the traffic police Officers, lost control and overturned in the water channel.

“The tarpaulin that was covering the vehicle fell on passengers and they suffocated. Nine bodies have been retrieved from the scene and taken to Kawolo Hospital mortuary for post-mortem. Seven bodies are unidentified and only two bodies have been identified,” he said.

Butoto said three survivors were at Kawolo hospital receiving treatment and the truck was towed and is currently parked at Lugazi Central Police Station parking yard.