Lynette OgollahAs the clock strikes the final hours of the workweek, the atmosphere in the office begins to shift. The familiar hum of keyboards gradually reduces, replaced by excitement for the impending weekend.
Exiting the confines of the workplace, I made my way to one of the entertainment spots in town, ordering a cold one to soothe my nerves.
As I took a sip, the music got better, washing away the stresses of the day with each infectious beat. The DJ behind the booth was a master of his craft, his fingers flying over the mixer as he seamlessly blended one track into the next.
Around me, the crowd swayed and danced, their faces illuminated by the spinning lights, but as time passed by, a curious sight caught my eye.
Shared moment of celebration
People were flocking to the DJ booth, drinks in hand, offering them to the DJ with smiles of friendship. I watched in fascination as he accepted the drinks without hesitation, trusting in the goodwill of his audience. It was a gesture of trust that seemed to bind performer and audience in a shared moment of celebration.
Dark motives
But as the night unfolded, a seed of doubt began to take root in my mind. What if not everyone had pure intentions? What if amidst the sea of friendly faces lurked those with darker motives?
Recently we hosted Kisumu’s top entrainer, DJ VES, the Rave Master at our studios so I sought his thoughts about sharing drinks with revelers and the dangers that lurk therein.
He recounted a harrowing tale of a night much like this one, he was playing for a performing artist in a club and was surrounded by seemingly friendly patrons, everyone with drinks at hand.
Minutes later, he had found himself almost collapsing behind the DJ booth, the world fading into darkness around him.
It took him 36 long hours to regain consciousness, his body weak and his mind clouded with confusion. It wasn’t until the CCTV footage was replayed that the chilling truth came to light, he had been spiked.
“Nililala for a day and a half and I still woke up drank.” expressed the DJ highlighting the severity of the situation.
The footage revealed the perpetrator, and to DJ VES’s shock and dismay, the face staring back at him from the screen was all too familiar.
I don’t allow people at the Dj booth
Even though Ves acknowledges the gesture and good faith of fans and partygoers while offering DJ’s drinks as a show of appreciation, he has since taken precautions to protect himself from imminent harm.
“That is why I don’t allow people around the DJ booth…kama ni drink just send the waiter or the cowgirls and I will appreciate. If we are sharing, let it be from the bottle to my glass, and not from some glass… ” he says.
According to the National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) , drink spiking commonly referred to Mchele due to the rice-like pellets commonly used, is illegal, whatever the intent, even if the drink is not consumed or the person is not harmed.
People who spike drinks are liable for fine or jail time for offences occurring after the act.
The drug agency says that drink spiking is mostly linked to crimes such as sexual assault and robbery that is carried out once the victim’s defenses are lowered or when they are completely incapacitated.
