The Public Prosecutor in Medenine, Fathi Al-Bakoush, stated that the individual who supplied the victims of the Sidi Makhlouf incident with alcohol containing toxic substances has been arrested. This incident resulted in 41 injuries, including two fatalities and three serious cases, while others are being treated in hospitals in Sidi Makhlouf, Medenine, and Jerjis, with some individuals having been discharged from the hospital.
Al-Bakoush mentioned in a statement to the Tunisian News Agency (TAP) in Medenine that the main suspect in the case is from the area and has a criminal record. He added that an investigation is underway to determine all the facts uncovered by the inquiry. The same source indicated that an investigative case has been opened for each of the two fatalities separately at the First Investigation Office of the Medenine Primary Court, with two charges being filed: one concerning intentional murder under Articles 201 and 202 of the Penal Code, and the second concerning attempted murder under Articles 59 and 201 and 202 of the Penal Code.
He further stated that a judicial inquiry has been commissioned for the Research and Inspection Unit of the National Guard in Medenine to complete the necessary inquiries and carry out the required medical or technical examinations. The Public Prosecutor noted that upon notification from the on-call judge about the admission of two individuals from the Qasbah area in Sidi Makhlouf to the hospital at 2 AM on Saturday morning, both of whom died there, an investigative inquiry into the fatalities was initiated by the investigating judge at the Medenine Primary Court.
Subsequently, the on-call judge was informed about the admission of several individuals from the same area, "Qasbah," and due to the frequency of admissions, he went to the hospital to ascertain the conditions of the patients. He explained that upon questioning the stable patients who were able to speak, they reported that they had consumed alcoholic beverages from the same individual, who has been arrested, and it was found that he has a criminal history. Additionally, some of the injured individuals also have prior criminal backgrounds.
To recall, the Sidi Makhlouf district in the Medenine Governorate witnessed a poisoning incident involving locally-made alcohol on Saturday, resulting in two deaths and several injuries among individuals aged between 20 and 40. The local hospital in Sidi Makhlouf treated the victims, with several being transferred to the university hospital in Medenine and the regional hospital in Jerjis, while the hospitals in Djerba and Tataouine have been placed on alert. An emergency cell has been established at the university hospital in Medenine and another at the local hospital in Sidi Makhlouf to monitor and coordinate the transfer of the injured and to ensure the availability of ambulances.
