A suspected motorcycle thief has been lynched by a mob at Kuluva Trading Center in Vurra Sub-county, Arua District, while attempting to flee with a stolen motorcycle, police have confirmed.
The deceased, identified as Simon Andi, 26, a resident of Odramachako in Ayivu West Division, was allegedly intercepted by angry residents on Wednesday at around 10:30 AM while riding a red Bajaj Boxer motorcycle with registration number UFP 266K.
According to Superintendent of Police Collins Asea, the West Nile regional police spokesperson, the motorcycles in question—UFP 266K and UFP 167K—had earlier been reported stolen from Encoti Microfinance in Kigumba.
“We received intelligence from our counterparts in Arua City that two stolen motorcycles were being ridden towards Arua. CCTV footage from Arivu Trading Center captured the suspects in transit,” SP Asea said.
Police were immediately dispatched to track down the suspects.
However, by the time they arrived at Kuluva Trading Center, one of the suspects had already been seized by a mob and was being brutally assaulted. Efforts to save his life were futile as he succumbed to his injuries en route to Arua City Hospital.
The recovered motorcycle was taken to Arivu Police Station and will be transferred to Kigumba Police Station for further investigation. The second suspect, who fled with the other stolen motorcycle, remains at large.
“The Officer-in-Charge of CID in Kiryandongo has been notified to coordinate the arrest of the remaining suspect and recover the stolen property,” SP Asea added.
Police have condemned the act of mob justice and urged the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
“We caution the public against acts of violence and urge them to always hand over suspects to the police for proper legal procedures,” said SP Asea.
He urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of the second suspect to report to the nearest police station.