On Sunday morning, a former United Nations driver was beaten to death by a mob of boda boda riders who accused him of knocking their colleague in an incident that happened at Mengo.
According to eyewitnesses, Aziz Bashir,40 a former driver with the UN and a resident of Mengo was involved in a minor accident in which his brand-new Toyota Allex registration number was scratched by a boda boda rider.
“The driver got out to negotiate with the boda boda rider to see how the car could be repaired. Whereas Aziz wanted shs500, 000, the boda boda rider said he could only afford shs50,000. Consequently the two failed to agree and this angered the driver,” an eyewitness said.
Angered by failure to reach an agreement, it is said that Aziz entered into his vehicle in a bid to knock the boda boda rider but instead knocked a colleague whom he dragged for over a kilometer.
According to the Kampala Metropolitan deputy Police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, following the minor accident, the rider and Aziz failed to agree on compensation for the damaged vehicle leading to a scuffle.
“It is from there that two motorcycles shielded the rider, who was involved in a traffic accident with Aziz. The rider left the scene, but in an effort of the deceased pursuing the alleged rider, he knocked another motorcycle rider,”Owoyesigyire said.
The Kampala Police mouthpiece said a gang of boda boda riders surrounded the vehicle as Aziz approached Lyna Primary School, pulled him out and beat him to death in the resultant scuffle.
“The motorcycle involved in the accident UEJ 515K and the deceased's motor vehicle were recovered (vandalized)and are now parked at Old Kampala Police while the body of the deceased was conveyed to city mortuary Mulago for a post mortem,” he said.
According to Owoyesigyire, two suspects have so far been arrested in connection to the murder whereas Police has embarked on viewing CCTV footage to identify the riders who could have carried out the criminal act.
“We also condemn acts of mob justice as they offer no solution to any problem and are illegal by law.”
The incident highlights the lawlessness exhibited by boda boda riders in most parts of the country.