Mututho wants bar owner charged with murder over Salgaa accident

The owner of a bar where five boys were allegedly drinking before being involved in a road accident at Salgaa on the New Year’s eve may face murder charges.

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) chairman John Mututho now wants the bar owner charged with murder for playing a role in the accident that claimed five lives.

Speaking at Salgaa Trading Centre during a sensitization forum with truck drivers on Monday, Mututho said the bar located along Nakuru-Nairobi Highway will have its licence cancelled once police complete investigations.

He said that it was the high time that those selling alcohol to children are held responsible for such acts.

Mututho said that a team of Nacada officers in conjunction with police will be making impromptu visits to social places to ensure only adults are allowed to buy alcohol.

He revealed that he has approached a number of MPs and spoken to them on the need to pass a law that sets the minimum age for persons to whom alcohol can be sold to 21 years instead of 18 years.

Mututho, who later visited Salgaa Traffic Base Commander on a fact-finding mission on road accident statistics, warned drivers that should the National Assembly pass a Bill already before it, any driver who causes an accident will have his driving license cancelled for life.

He said that although the number of accidents that happened due to drunk driving over the December festive season were few, there were four reported cases of persons selling alcohol to the underage.

He called on the County Government of Nakuru to carry out thorough scrutiny of alcohol outlets and bars before issuing licenses.