Kibuku (UG):– The Territorial Police in Kibuku District has launched an investigation into a tragic incident of mob violence that resulted in the deaths of three individuals early this morning in Buyerya village.
The victims, identified as Nuwamanya Kaleb, a 23-year-old businessman from Masindi, and Mpyangu Samuel, a 38-year-old peasant from Budaka, were suspected of cattle theft, leading to a violent confrontation with the enraged locals.
The incident occurred on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at around 3:00 am when alarmed villagers accused the three men of attempting to steal cattle.
Eyewitnesses reported that the suspects scattered in different directions to escape the furious mob, while a driver, whose identity remains unknown, fled the scene in a vehicle recognized only as a Prado.
Kirita Semu, the local village chairman, provided crucial details about the incident. The two confirmed victims were discovered with multiple deep cuts, their bodies were found approximately 500 meters apart in Bulerya village. A third unidentified victim was located in Bulalaka village within Bulangira Town Council.
“The community acted out of fear and anger, believing they were preventing a crime,” Semu stated. “But this has ended in tragedy.”
Upon receiving reports of the incident, police promptly dispatched a response team from the Central Police Station (CPS) Kibuku and Bulangira police post. They documented the crime scene and began gathering statements from witnesses.
The bodies of the deceased were transported to Kibuku and Mbale city mortuaries for postmortem examinations.
Authorities have opened a murder case attributed to mob violence, stressing the importance of addressing the underlying issues that lead to such vigilantism. “Vigilante justice not only threatens lives but also undermines the rule of law,” a police spokesperson remarked.
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