Mob lynches suspected livestock thief in Luwero

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A man believed to be in his 20’s has been lynched by an irate mob for allegedly stealing two goats and a sheep in Luwero district.

The incident occurred in Kibiriizi Parish, Bamunanika sub county. The yet to be identified victim who did not have identification documents on him, and was also a stranger in the area was on Thursday intercepted as he ferried the three animals on a motorcycle at Nkuluze village which shares borders with Kibiriizi.

Residents became suspicious because he had packed the three animals in sacks. The residents first took him to the Kibiriizi village chairman. When they tasked him to prove the animals were his own, he reportedly failed. His behavior according to the locals pointed to theft, although no one had claimed loss of his animals. The locals started beating him before he abandoned the motorcycle and run off.

The angry residents then chased him from Nkuluze village, through Kibiriizi village, and after they managed to surround him at Gavu village. When he was asked why he steals, he responded that he was struggling to make ends meet. The locals severely beat and stoned him on the head.

Smith Nkangi, the Nkuluze village LC 1 chairman where the interception was first made, recounts the incident to Uganda Radio Network (URN). According to chairman Nkangi, the interception with the subsequent mob action at Gavu village was prompted by the rampant livestock theft in this sub-county.

He says recently, seven goats were stolen from locals something that left them charged against the perpetrators.

When contacted about the incident, Luwero District Police Commander (DPC) Felix Mugizi told URN that he has been tipped off by area subordinates.

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URN