Mistook weedkiller for medicine

NAVUTOKA – A 62-year-old man from the village of Navutoka, in eastern Tongatapu died at Vaiola Hospital on Monday after drinking from a bottle of hazardous weed killing chemicals.

Detective Inspector Semi Ve’ehala from the Mu’a Police station told the Matangi Tonga that it is thought that Mateni Topui was mistakenly given a bottle of the hazardous weed killer, instead of a bottle of Tongan medicine.

After the Topui took a gulp of the weedkiller his family discovered the disatrous error and rushed him to Vaiola Hospital where he died six days later,

A post-mortem which was conducte by Police Magistrate, Peni Ma’u, Dr Sisi Latu and four jurors concluded that Mateni Topui’s death was accidcental and was caused by his drinking of the hazardous weed killer.

- Matangi Tonga