Locals lynch ‘drug-fueled man’ who hacked two women in Kamuli

Residents of Busamo village in Kamuli District have lynched a machete-wielding man for alleged indiscriminate hacking of two women, killing one on the spot.

Mr Jude Kalebi, a resident Busamo village, Butansi sub-county in Kamuli District first cut three goats, leaving them dead, before hacking two ladies who were returning from the garden.

The ladies were identified as Ms Merabu Mugaba and Ms Janet Naiguru. Ms Mugaba died on spot, while Ms Naiguru sustained injuries, according to Mr Richard Waiswa, a resident.

Mr Waiswa said Kalebi’s heinous acts took him to a road where he found  Mr Sam Mugabi and fatally hacked him too.

Kalebi’s brother, only identified as Musa, was wounded and fell to the ground as he reportedly tried to disarm him, causing locals to scamper for safety.

“When Kalebi hacked Musa, everyone got scared and went into hiding for fear of being killed,’’ Mr Waiswa said, adding that he (Kalebi) then disappeared into a sugarcane plantation.

Armed with sticks and machetes, the residents pursued Kalebi, caught up with him and beat him to death, according to eyewitness, Mr Julius Muwanguzi.

Muwanguzi said Kalebi’s actions may have been fueled by marijuana, an illicit drug he was reportedly known for smoking.

Busoga North Police Spokesperson, Michael Kasadha, said Butansi sub-county is known for growing marijuana and such incidents were bound to happen because people have declined to stop growing drug despite police efforts.

He said: “As police, we have been making operations against marijuana growing in this sub-county, but locals refused to give up. This incident should give a lesson to residents to abandon it.”

Meanwhile, Kasadha added that they are also investigating a murder case involving three people in Bugeywa parish, Butansi sub-county, where a man hacked four people, leaving two dead. The deceased and injured were taken to Kamuli Hospital.

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