By Rachael Wambuzi
Angry residents of Buwekula cell in Jinja City Northern division have set ablaze two suspected thieves. The residents ganged up against the duo when they found them roasting meat allegedly taken from stolen goats in the area.
The dead have been identified as 22-year-old Musisi Mafabi and 24-year-old Byeko Onyango. The aroma of the roasted meat wafted into neighboring homesteads, arousing suspicion and curiosity among the community members. On investigations, residents discovered evidence of slaughtered and roasted goat meat, packed in locally designed metallic warmers.
One of the residents told our reporter on condition of anonymity that the suspects were notorious thieves, known for collaborating with hardcore criminals from other areas to terrorize Buwekula village and the surrounding communities. He explained despite public accusations against them, their parents were hesitant to reprimand them, fueling anger among the community members.
Hussein Tenywa, one of the residents, revealed that the suspects stole five goats from his farm on July 29th, but he refrained from reporting them to the police due to a lack of incriminating evidence. He explained that the incident reflects a growing sense of insecurity in the community over the past five months, leading to an increasing number of mob justice cases.
The lack of swift and effective legal prosecution has left people resorting to violent actions to take matters into their own hands. The Kiira Regional Police spokesperson, James Mubi, confirmed the incident and mentioned that detectives are actively searching for all those involved in the mob lynching.
He expressed concern about the suspects’ tactics of slaughtering animals in isolated areas, roasting the meat, and then selling it to unsuspecting customers in slums, schools, and markets. Mubi highlighted that such camouflage practices hinder the arrest of suspects and contribute to public resentment, ultimately leading to mob justice incidents that can result in loss of life before suspects are brought to justice.
He urged the public to cooperate with the police, hand over suspected criminals, and allow for proper investigations and prosecution to combat criminal gangs effectively.
