Promoter Abitex arrested over stampede at Freedom City where 10 people died on spot

  

Promoter Abitex arrested over stampede at Freedom City.

Event promoter Abbey Musinguzi also known as Abitex has been arrested following a stampede at a New Year event that claimed 10 lives at Freedom City.

Addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru this afternoon, police spokesperson Fred Enanga says they are also hunting for other event organisers who were part of the fateful event.

“We have arrested the promoter of that New Year concert, that is Abbey Musinguzi, and we are also actively searching for the other organisers and managers of that new year concert at Freedom City. The facts gathered indicate that more than 500 revelers and concertgoers were celebrating the end of the year, and the ushering in of the new year at Freedom City in Namasuba on the 31st and 1st. The celebrations were going well until that moment when the master of ceremony recklessly made the announcement for the concertgoers to move out and watch the fireworks in the parking and probably thereafter return to the concert,” Enanga said in a media briefing on Monday.

“The packed crowd became dangerous after the rush for fireworks from the hall through a narrow corridor to the only exit and entry point… the local security guards had locked all the other gates of the about four other exits and entries. So, as a result, several victims were trapped, others trampled upon through the narrow passage, which became a real bottleneck for some of the juveniles.”

Nine people died on the spot while the 10th was confirmed Monday morning. Abitex is being held at Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) headquarters in Kibuli, Kampala.