Mob set trailer ablaze for knocking dead a senior four leaver

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Arua is hunting for a group of people who set ablaze a transit cargo trailer belonging to Union Logistics Uganda, after the driver knocked dead a 21-year-old senior four leaver.

The tragedy occurred on Monday at 12:00 noon, 6 kilometers along Arua Vurra road near the gate of Union Logistics warehouse at Odianyadri trading center, Arua district.

According to information from witnesses on ground, the trailer bearing a Congolese registration number 4282AY/01 /8259BA/01, driven by a Congolese was coming from Congo through Vurra customs to pick cargo from the warehouse, and as it veered towards the right so as to turn left and enter the gate, collided head-on with Robert Enzama, who was riding a Senke motorcycle registration number UEL 497H, killing him on the spot.

Robert, Enzama, a resident of Ayelembe village, Eruba Parish, Arua district, is a son to Gason Ayiko, the head teacher of the nearby Okufura Secondary School. He completed Senior Four this year in March and has reportedly been selling fuel at Odianyadri trading center.

The driver of the trailer who was yet to be identified, immediately took off and ran into the warehouse for safety as clan members of the deceased descended on the scene of the accident, and set the trailer ablaze before disappearing.

A lady in the neighborhood of the accident scene who preferred to be identified as Nesta, told URN, “I heard a loud bang and when I came close to the road side, I saw the trailer blocking the whole road and shortly after I saw a body being pulled from under it.”

Nesta added that after 30 minutes, as the message of Robert’s death spread, locals in the area converged on the scene and started throwing stones at the gate and into the Union Logistics warehouse, where the driver had taken refugee. They then set the trailer on fire and vanished into the village.

Police Fire Brigade was later alerted and reached the scene to put out the fire. But the inside of the cabin had already been burnt completely.

The body of Robert Enzama was taken to Arua hospital for postmortem while the burnt trailer was towed to Arua Central Police Station as more investigations continue.

Josephine Angucia, the police spokesperson for W. Nile condemned the actions of the mob and said such incidences should be left to police for proper investigations so as to appropriately punish the wrongdoer.

The preliminary report indicates that the trailer driver attempted to break but since the motorcyclist was moving at a high speed, he crashed into the oncoming trailer that had indicated it was branching into the warehouse and died instantly.

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URN