By Mike Rwothomio
Koboko, Uganda: Police in Koboko District are investigating a gruesome case of mob justice after three men suspected of livestock theft were violently lynched and their vehicle burnt in Diobi Village, Metino Parish, Abuku Sub-county.
West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson SSP Josephine Angucia said the incident, reported around 9:00 pm on Thursday, has been registered under CRB 482/2025 as murder by mob action and arson. “Our team responded swiftly after receiving intelligence of the triple homicide and the torching of the suspects’ vehicle,” SSP Angucia said.
The deceased includes 43-year-old Habibu Suleiman of Maracha Village, Dadamu Sub-county in Arua City, identified using his National ID. The two other victims remain unidentified pending forensic examination.
Police say the attackers tied the victims’ hands behind their backs before fatally assaulting them with blunt objects. Three allegedly stolen cattle were recovered at the scene and impounded at Koboko Central Police Station.
The suspects’ army-green vehicle, a Drone model registration UA 186BP, was set ablaze and reduced to a charred wreckage, now held as evidence.
Eyewitnesses told police the men were ambushed on suspicion of cattle rustling, a crime that typically spikes during the festive season across West Nile.
SSP Angucia condemned the killings, warning that mob justice undermines criminal investigations and fuels further lawlessness. No arrests have been made, but detectives are gathering leads within the community.
Mob Justice Still a Major National Concern
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2024, 1,016 cases of mob action were recorded nationwide—a 2.2% drop from 2023, but still representing a major contributor to Uganda’s 4,329 homicide cases in 2024.
A total of 1,098 people were lynched last year, the majority being male adults. Most victims were accused of petty offences: Theft: 713 cases, 662 killed, Robbery: 64 cases, 53 killed, Murder accusations: 45 cases, 31 killed, Burglary: 41 cases, 36 killed, and several in witchcraft suspicions, according to the report.
Police urge the public to remain vigilant but to report suspects through lawful channels rather than resorting to extrajudicial killings.
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