Man lynched over theft of village savings box in Pallisa
Police officials attribute the rise in mob justice to factors like ignorance of the justice system, lack of trust in law enforcement, and frustrations over perceived judicial leniency. Illustration by Ivan Ssenyonjo
What you need to know:
- However, no cash was recovered from him—only the broken metallic savings box
A mob in Alelesi Village, Chelekura sub-county, Pallisa District, have lynched a 28-year-old man, Simon Ayemun, also known as "Ebuking," for stealing a village savings box.
According to Mr Gerefansio Opio, the LC1 Chairperson of Alelesi Village, the deceased was suspected of breaking into a home and stealing a metallic savings box belonging to a local savings group.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, and the deceased was apprehended red-handed with the metallic saving box.
Mr Wilfred Kyempasa, Bukedi North Regional Police Spokesperson, said, "It is alleged that on Sunday, the deceased broke into the house of one Ms Stella Addo and stole a savings box containing Shs2.5 million, which belonged to Alelesi Apollo and a local savings group."
The villagers pursued the suspect and lynched him using stones and sticks. Police officers visited the crime scene, documented it, and recorded statements from witnesses. The body was transported to Pallisa Hospital mortuary pending a postmortem examination.
Preliminary findings revealed that the deceased was a known repeat offender in the village. However, no cash was recovered from him—only the broken metallic savings box. Police say the deceased was killed by yet-to-be-identified individuals, and investigations to trace the suspects are ongoing.
This incident has raised concerns about the rising cases of mob justice in the region. Local leaders and human rights defenders have condemned the trend in the Bukedi North sub-region, citing the need for justice to take its course.
According to police data, seven people were killed in March, and three more were killed in April this year in Bukedi. The Police Annual Crime Report showed that by the end of 2024, a total of 1,016 cases of Murder by Mob Action were reported, with 1,016 persons lynched to death.
