Four suspected thieves lynched in Jinja
The wreckage of the motorcycle on which four suspected thugs were riding before being lynched. Photo | Denis Edema
What you need to know:
- The quartet was suspected to have been behind a spate of home invasions and the waylaying of bystanders and pedestrians in Mafubira and Budondo Villages, both in Northern Division, Jinja City.
Residents of Namulesa Village, Jinja City North Division on Sunday trailed four suspected thugs who were riding on a motorcycle with concealed number plates and lynched them.
The quartet was suspected to have been behind a spate of home invasions and the waylaying of bystanders and pedestrians in Mafubira and Budondo Villages, both in Northern Division, Jinja City.
It is reported that one of the suspects who was riding the motorcycle attempted to defraud Shs50,000 from a mobile money operator at around 7:30 am. The residents resorted to beating him up and he volunteered to lead them to a rented room where they keep stolen items.
The residents surrounded the room and found three other youths sorting out suspected stolen items, which sparked anger from residents. They tied the suspects with ropes and put them in the middle of the Jinja-Kamuli road.
But Police from the Field Force Unit dispersed the residents with teargas and live bullets in vain.
A crowd gathers at Jinja Central Police Station after four suspected thieves were lynched in Namulesa Village, Jinja North City Division on November 20, 2022.
The mob turned chaotic and resorted to pelting police personnel with stones in protest of blocking their actions. The angry residents overpowered the police and stoned the suspects to death, before torching their bodies and the motorcycle.
“We are tired of such thieves, killing them will set an example to others who are about to commit the same crimes," one of the eyewitnesses said.
One of the suspects escaped but was later arrested and taken to Jinja Central Police Station, the officer-in-charge (OC) Budondo Police Station, Mr Charles Byamukama, has confirmed.
He, however, condemned residents’ decision to take the law into their hands and kill the suspects.
“These people have been notorious thugs around, so I think today people managed to lynch them but police are going to investigate,” he said.
The wreckage of the burnt motorcycle was towed to Jinja Central Police Station, while the four bodies were taken to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital mortuary.
