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Alebtong, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Alebtong district is holding a local council one chairperson for aiding a mob in murdering a suspected thief.
Jackson Awany, the 49 year old LCI of Obangangeo village, Abongoatin parish in Amugo sub-county was arrested on Monday following the death of Andrew Anyang, a suspected thief.
It is alleged that on June 4th, Moses Ogwal, a resident of the area who had lost his cow was given a letter by the LCI chairperson to trace for the animal and on 5th while in Otuboi market, Kaberamaido, Ogwal recovered the animal which was being sold by Anyang, leading to his arrest.
The report further shows that the suspect (Anyang) was brought back to the LCI chairperson who locked him in the house instead of handing him over to the police. However, the LCI later released the suspect to a large crowd who beat him to death.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga Police spokesperson says the LCI was arrested because he failed to act within the law and his actions led to the death of a suspect who should have been handled by the laws.
Okema condemned the act saying mob action is a criminal offence which is punishable by law. He added that the police are currently holding community dialogues together with the local leaders to forge ways of fighting such crimes in the region.
“Once again we would like to condemn the act of taking laws into our hands; rather we should allow police to receive such cases, investigate and have the suspects taken before the courts of law.” He also called on the LCI chairpersons to always report insecurity incidences to the police.
Meanwhile, Cyprian Okello, the coordinator of the Justice and Peace Commission of Lira Diocese attributed the high crime rate in Lango to moral decay resulting from the over two decades of insurgency.
There is a steady increase in the number of mob action incidences in the Lango sub-region and most of the victims are suspected to have committed the crimes such as theft, robbery, murder, and burglary.
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