Mayuge locals lynch suspected electricity vandal, torch getaway car

Mayuge, Uganda: The Territorial Police in Mayuge District is actively investigating an incident of mob justice at Buwolya village, Buwolya parish, Buwaya Sub County in Mayuge, where a male adult was lynched by rowdy locals for reportedly vandalizing electricity installations and stealing wires.

The deceased, whose identity was still unknown by press time, was part of a group allegedly caught red-handed vandalizing electricity poles and stealing power lines.

According to police, the group was travelling in a white Toyota Premio, registration number UAG 714K, when residents mobilized and intercepted them.

Busoga East Regional Police Spokesperson SP Michael Kafayo confirmed the incident, describing it as a tragic case of mob justice. “It is reported that around 3 am, a group of men driving a Toyota Premio started vandalizing electricity poles and removing wires before residents noticed the sudden blackout,” SP Kafayo stated.

He said the residents, already suspicious due to repeated cases of power infrastructure theft in the area, quickly mobilized and chased down the suspects.

“Upon noticing the suspicious incident, the locals raised an alarm, which attracted more people. The suspects attempted to flee, abandoning the vehicle, but one of them was captured and lynched on the spot. The angry crowd then torched the vehicle, burning it to ashes,” Kafayo said.

Mayuge police detectives who responded to the scene recovered a number plate, several electric wires, and two SIM cards (MTN and Airtel) from the burned car. The items are now being held as exhibits in the ongoing investigation.

SP Kafayo said statements have been recorded from residents and the LC1 chairperson of the area, but no arrests have been made in connection to the lynching. “We have registered a case of murder by mob. Investigations are ongoing to establish the motive of the deceased and his accomplices,” he added.

This incident follows a rising trend of electricity vandalism in Mayuge, especially in Buwaya Sub County, where locals claim the vice has plunged the area into frequent blackouts. In response, communities have reportedly formed vigilante networks to monitor suspicious activity and protect local infrastructure.