KAYUNGA, UGANDA: Police in Kayunga rescued one of their own officers from an angry mob that wanted to lynch him for allegedly stealing water pipes.
The officer identified as Joseph Jagwe, 25, attached to Kayunga Police Station was intercepted by residents on Thursday, April 13, when he emerged from a nearby bush carrying a polythene bag containing the stolen waterpipes at around 7.30 PM.
Ssezibwa regional police spokesperson, ASP Hellen Butoto said when residents quizzed Jagwe about what he was carrying, he could not explain himself prompting the residents to pounce on him and start beating him.
“On April 13, 2023, at around 07.30 PM, one Joseph Jagwe was seen coming out from a nearby bush within Nakaliro village and was holding a polythene sack containing water pipes. This prompted people to stop and tasked him to explain why he was in possession of the water pipes but he could not clarify. They surrounded and started assaulting him,” Ms Butoto said Ssezibwa in a police statement on Saturday afternoon.
Ms Butoto explained that Jagwe was being assaulted near the home of the Kayunga District Police Commander (DPC) prompting him to come out of the gate only to realize the suspect was one of his own officers.
“DPC heard a noise coming from outside the house so she went out to see what was happening only to find Jagwe being assaulted and she called a team for rescue. Exhibits of water pipes were recovered and the suspect is in police custody in Kayunga,” she added.
Charges of scandalous behaviour have since been slapped against the policeman as inquiries into the case continue to establish where he had intended to sell the water pipes and hunt for more suspects.
PC Jagwe’s case comes just days after one of his colleagues attached to Naguru police headquarters in Kampala died after he was attacked by a mob in Budaka District on suspicion of being a thief.
PC Sedulaki Wakulu, a resident of Lyama village, Lyama sub-county in Budaka District in eastern Uganda is said to have been killed at around 1 am on April 10 by people who allegedly found him trying to break into someone’s store for agricultural produce.
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