Police in Katwe Division have launched investigations into an incident involving aggravated robbery and mob justice that occurred in the early hours of Friday in Mirimu Cell, Ndejje, Wakiso District.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, the incident took place around 4:00 am Friday 13th when two unidentified male suspects allegedly broke into the home of a resident, identified as Alex Ssali ,and stole Shs 1.5 million along with a mobile phone.
The assailants were reportedly armed with burglary tools and used force during the robbery.
Owoyesigyire said the victim made an alarm, drawing the attention of residents who pursued the suspects.
“One of the suspects was intercepted and assaulted by members of the public approximately 500 meters from the victim’s residence. He died as a result of the beating. The second suspect escaped and is still on the run,” he stated.
Following the incident, police conducted a search at the residence of the suspect who fled and recovered numerous items, including master keys, screwdrivers, iron rods, gloves, head socks, several SIM cards, multiple mobile phones, a black jumper, and a blue pouch containing breaking implements.
Additionally, a Toyota Noah vehicle, registration number UBQ 726Q, believed to have been used by the suspects, was impounded.
Upon searching the vehicle, police recovered two semi-automatic rifles with two magazines loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition, a machete (panga), and other housebreaking tools.
The body of the deceased suspect was taken to the City Mortuary in Mulago for postmortem.
Police say they are now investigating both the robbery and the mob killing.
“We urge the public to report crimes to the police instead of taking the law into their own hands. While we acknowledge the community’s swift response, we strongly discourage acts of mob justice,” Owoyesigyire emphasised.
Investigations are ongoing, and police have pledged to provide more updates as new information emerges.