An angry mob in Kibingo Lower Cell, Hoima City, on Wednesday morning lynched and set ablaze a 20-year-old man suspected of stealing maize.
Andrew Mutegeki, the Local Council One (LC1) chairman, confirmed the incident, noting that the yet-to-be-identified victim was reportedly caught red-handed breaking into the maize store of a wealthy resident, John Kiberu.
“We have had several incidents of home break-ins. Unfortunately, when the residents found this young man breaking into the store, they did not inform us or the police for rescue. Instead, they decided to lynch him and later set him ablaze before reporting to us,” Mutegeki said.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesperson, also confirmed the incident, saying that the particulars of the deceased had not yet been established. He, however, condemned the mob’s actions, emphasizing the importance of following legal procedures.
“Our team rushed to the scene, and the body was taken to Hoima City Mortuary for a post-mortem examination. We want to caution the general public against taking the law into their own hands. The deceased was only a suspect. As police, we needed to investigate, and if found guilty, take him to court. Unfortunately, the public acted as police, investigator, and judge, which is very regrettable,” Hakiza stated.