A 28-year-old suspected thief has been lynched to death while five others escaped in Rubaga division, Kampala district.
This incident happened in the wee hours of Saturday, November 23, 2024, in Bulange village.
Initial reports indicate that the thugs were in a gang of six; however, the others escaped, and one of them was caught by residents in one home who were outside fetching rainwater and beat him to death.
According to an eyewitness identified as Liam Magere, the suspected thief was caught as he was attempting to enter inside Nantumbwe’s house; however, he was seen by some people who live in the same fence, and he was caught.
Magere added that the deceased was being beaten; he revealed that he and his colleagues come from Katwe every day to carry out their looting in different areas of Rubaga division.
’’The thief was checked and found with chloroform, and he revealed that they were using it to spray into their victims’ houses so that they could oversleep and not interrupt their looting,” Magere reported.
Read Also: SEMBABULE: Serial Thief Beaten to Nearly to Death by Mob
The Bulange village defense secretary, Vincent Mawejje, revealed that the thieves have been taking advantage of the rainy nights to rob the locals.
He further revealed the criminals have been targeting areas of Bulange and Nabulagala for a long time, which is why the suspected robber was beaten to death, adding, “Unfortunately, he died before telling the locals who his colleagues were.
’’Everyone knows that mob justice is bad and wrong; however, the locals are just tired of these thieves; hence, once caught, you are not given a chance to live the next day and killed instantly,’’ Mawejje said.
Police arrived and took the suspect’s body to Mulago hospital mortuary; however, Mawejje advised locals on being vigilant since it’s almost a festive season and thieves are also taking advantage of the rainy days or nights to commit crimes.
He advised the youth to look for jobs and earn some money and stop participating in dubious crimes that easily lead to their death.
Read Also: SEMBABULE: Serial Thief Beaten Nearly to Death by Mob
Several incidents involving thieves being killed in Kampala have surfaced, reflecting ongoing issues with crime and mob justice in the region.
In April 2024, the Police and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) arrested 29 people suspected of having orchestrated the lynching of five people, who allegedly killed two boda boda riders in Kakola village, Nama sub-county in Mukono district.
These incidents underscore a troubling trend in Uganda’s urban areas, where crime and community responses are intertwined, leading to tragic outcomes for alleged thieves and raising significant concerns about public safety and justice.
