Mob lynches two in eastern Uganda

In two separate incidents, mob justice claimed the lives of two suspected criminals in Eastern Uganda this week.

In the first incident, an armed man, Wyclif Wanabuma, 28, was lynched by an angry mob on Monday after allegedly staging illegal roadblocks in Mount Elgon National Park.

Wanabuma, a resident of Nalusufu village in Bududa District, had reportedly been targeting traders on their way to Buteza market, robbing them at gunpoint.

On Monday, Wanabuma allegedly attempted to rob a group of traders from Bunabutiti Sub-county.

However, when the traders raised an alarm, a crowd from both Bududa and Sironko Districts quickly gathered. Despite firing shots to disperse the mob, Wanabuma was overpowered and beaten to death after running out of ammunition.

The police recovered an AK-47 rifle from the scene and have launched an investigation.

In a related incident on Sunday, another man, Edwin Wamutibi, was lynched by a mob in Manafwa District after being suspected of stealing a motorcycle.

Wamutibi allegedly stole the motorcycle from Namisindwa District and attempted to sell it in Muki village. However, the motorcycle's owners tracked him down.

When Wamutibi tried to flee, the mob caught and stoned him to death along the Kufu-Bukhaweka road.

Both bodies were taken to Mbale City Mortuary for postmortem examinations. No arrests have been made in connection with either incident.

These cases highlight the persistent issue of mob justice in Uganda, where frustrations with the legal system often lead communities to take the law into their own hands.

Authorities continue to condemn these acts, calling for public education and judicial reforms to restore trust in the legal process and prevent further extrajudicial killings.