19-year-old man beaten to death over Shs1,000

Police in Mbale District are investigating the circumstances under which a 19-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by his colleagues over failure to clear a debt of Shs1,000.

Mr Charles Wamuna, a resident of Buteza Sub-county in Sironko District was reportedly beaten by four of his colleagues, whom he was playing cards with, for money. The beating it is said, occurred on Market Street in Mbale Town on Sunday evening. Mr Wamuna was pronounced dead at Mbale referral hospital, where he been rushed for treatment.

According to the eyewitnesses, the trouble started after the deceased failed to pay after losing the game to one of his colleagues.

“They have been friends and gambling together but today, things turned ugly after the deceased failed to pay after losing. They beat him to a point of death,” Mr Julius Nadenge, one of the eyewitnesses and a hawker in Mbale town, said.

Mr Nadenge explained that deceased pleaded with his colleagues to give him time to look for the money but they paid a deaf ear to his request.

“They were demanding Shs1,500 from him but he managed to get Shs500 and he requested to pay the balance of Shs1,000 the following day but they refused,” he said.

Mr John Magomu, another eye witness, told Daily Monitor that when the accused realised that they had beaten their colleague severely, they abandoned him.

“Upon realising that their friend had become unconscious, they fled the scene and went into hiding. He was only helped by the volunteers, who rushed him to the hospital, where he died from,” he said.

The Elgon region Police Spokesperson, Mr Robert Tukei confirmed the incident and said one suspect has been arrested to help police investigations.

He said the arrested suspect, and three others still at large, were friends to the deceased.

“We have so far arrested one person and we are hunting for others,” Mr Tukei, said.

Mr Tukei revealed that the suspect in custody confessed to having killed his friend.

“As police we condemn the incident… we will prefer charges of murder against them,” he said,
Mr Peter Gudoi, a friend to the deceased, described him as humble man with no ill motive.

“He was a good man. Only that used to engage in gambling for survival. We had breakfast together before his death and even joked in the restaurant that death has no time,” he said.