Killing suspects hinders investigations, say police

The force urges cyclists to hand over the suspects to assist in investigations.

Police still find it difficult to effectively fight crime in Buikwe because people lynch suspects thus jeopardising investigations, the district police commander has said.

Mr Paul Kakamba made the remarks while addressing boda boda cyclists in Lugazi Town Council on Monday, after police rescued a suspected boda boda thief from lynching.

He told the cyclists that they may continue losing their motorcycles unless they stop killing suspects.

“Get those suspects and hand them over to us so that we do our investigations and by the time we are done, we shall have got whoever is involved,’’ he said.

The district police commander said mob action was an fence that can be punishable by a jail term, adding that it shields criminals.

“It takes more than two people to execute a motorcycle thief. Killing those caught in the act does not mean that it will bar others from doing the same thing. But if we get such suspects, we investigate and bring to book all those involved,’’ Mr Kakamba said.

According to the 2011 annual crime report, at least 383 cases of mob action were reported countrywide while 466 people were killed by lynching.

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