One Pure Water at Circle Turns Into a Nightmare for AUCB Sophomore

What began as a simple effort to quench thirst turned into a terrifying ordeal for Charity Essel, a sophomore at the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB), Adabraka campus. On her way to her Ashaiman home after classes, Charity’s encounter with a sachet of pure water became a life-threatening experience.

According to Charity, the incident occurred between 6 and 7 p.m. when she boarded a trotro from Circle to Nungua, intending to connect to another vehicle to reach her home in Ashaiman. Feeling dehydrated, she bought a sachet of pure water from a young street hawker at Circle.

“I was thirsty and wanted water to drink. So, I saw a young man carrying water in Voltic Cool sachets. I bought one and boarded the vehicle.”

As soon as Charity started sucking on the sac, a man from outside rushed to sit beside her. Moments into the journey, she began to feel dizzy. Initially, she dismissed it as tiredness.

To her horror, she later realized she had blacked out – waking up at the trotro’s Nungua stop to find her belongings being taken by the passenger by her side. In a panic, she tried to alert others but discovered she had lost her voice and movement in her limbs.

“It was like I was paralyzed. I was weak, and I couldn’t move. I was speaking, I thought my lips were moving, but the voice was not coming. And I couldn’t see well,” explained Charity.

The nightmare continued as Charity blacked out a second time, only regaining consciousness at the Afienya trotro stop. At this point, her bag, containing her phone, IDs, cash and other personal items, was gone. The driver, noticing her distress, offered her some food, but she immediately vomited. Acting quickly, the driver and his mate managed to coax out of Charity a friend’s number and they contacted her to help guide her safely home.

“They rushed me to the hospital where the nurses explained that I had been a victim of drugging. The next day, I reported the incident at the Sakumono Police Station and was assured the matter would be investigated,” Charity said.

Charity’s frightening experience serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers in everyday transactions and highlights the need for vigilance, even in seemingly routine situations. Authorities and commuters are urged to exercise caution, particularly in crowded transport hubs like Circle.

“Now, I’m even scared of pure water. If it’s not in a bottle and from a proper store, I will advise that you buy from a place you know. Or just bring along your own water when traveling,” Charity advised.