Cinema hall operator sets customer on fire over Shs10,000

Police in Arua city is hunting for a video hall operator who burnt to death his client using petrol.

The suspect on the run is identified as Sunday Gabo who owns a video hall at Nyaunyau Trading Centre in Orugbo Ward, Ayivu West Division, Arua City

It said that on September 14, Joshua Amaku now deceased went to watch soccer at the suspect’s video hall where he requested him to go and buy him petrol to fill the generator that was to be used to operate the video, which the deceased accepted.

The suspect gave him a note of Shs20,000 and instructed him to buy petrol for Shs10,000.

Amaku went and bought the fuel for the said amount and upon his return, the suspect asked for his balance of shs10,000, however the victim demanded his transport refund of Shs5000 which the suspect accepted.

Amaku then told the suspect that the remaining Shs5000 balance was to cover the previous debt, which did not go well with the suspect.

It is said that the two picked up a quarrel and the suspect got the petrol, opened the lid and poured it on the deceased. He removed a matchbox from his pocket and lit a fire on the deceased.

The Regional Police Spokesperson Josephine Angucia confirmed this.

“Other onlookers who had gone to watch the football match ran out of the hall including the suspect leaving the deceased struggling for his life,” she said.

However, the victim later forced his way out of the hall where good Samaritans helped to put off the fire on him using sand.

Angucia said that police were informed and rushed to the scene where they picked up the victim and took him to Arua Hospital where he was undergoing treatment until September 28, when he died.