A 28-year-old man has been burned to death by locals in the Luweero district after he was allegedly caught red-handed stealing from the neighbors.

This incident happened in the wee hours of the morning at around 6:00 am on November 15, 2024, in Busula village in Luwero sub-county, Luwero district.

The deceased has been identified as Moses Bukenya, a resident of Kalule town in Luwero district.

One of the locals, Jona Kizza, disclosed that Bukenya and his colleagues had been taking advantage of the rainy days to rob the houses and shops.

“Bukenya was with five other thugs robbing Muzeyi’s house, so his sons alerted some of the locals. They rounded up his house and caught him, and others managed to escape,’’ he said.

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Kizza added that when the locals caught Bukenya, he was tied, beaten up, and then burned to ashes as punishment for always robbing them.

Police in Wobulenzi were notified, and they took the remains of the deceased for further investigation.

There are ongoing concerns regarding mob justice cases in Luwero, Uganda, reflecting a troubling trend in community responses to crime.

The 2022/2023 Annual Crime Report indicated that Luwero district, along with Kassanda, has been identified as a hotspot for mob justice incidents. The report noted that many victims are often suspected thieves or robbers, reflecting a community tendency to take the law into their own hands rather than relying on formal judicial processes.