Mob kills father over alleged crimes of his children

Police in Mbarara are investigating a case under which two family members were killed by a mob in a revenge mission.

The two members of the same family were hacked to death following the release of two of their relatives accused of killing a boda boda cyclist six months ago.

Rwizi regional police spokesperson Samson Kasasira said residents  of Kanyigiri Village, Nyarubungo Parish in Bukiro Sub-county on Tuesday attacked the home of Innocent Muhairwe, 58, and his  four children armed with sticks and machetes.

The mob then clobbered Muhairwe to death and left one of his sons, Alex Ssenyonga, for dead.

Mr Kasasira said the rest of the members managed to escape from the mob and one is being held at Mbarara Central Police Station to help with investigations.

He said the residents accuse two of the family members, Ssenyonga and Posiano Tukaheebwa, of killing a boda boda rider six months ago in the same village.

“The two brothers were released from prison three days ago on October 1, 2021 without informing and sensitising the affected community on judicial procedures,” Mr Kasasira said

The family was attacked as they were visiting their gardens that had been destroyed by the same angry residents six months ago.

“The cause of the attack by the angry mob was as a result of court bail that was awarded to two murder suspects who are brothers and were released at the beginning of October,” Mr Kasasira said.

He said police were still hunting for the suspects who participated in the killing.
“As police, we condemn mob action because it is illegal and inhuman. And we are hunting for the perpetrators of the act so that they are also brought to book,” Mr Kasasira said.

This comes days after President Museveni renewed his decade-old push to scrap bail for suspected capital offenders.
In a terse address at the 4th Benedicto Kiwanuka Memorial Lecture, President Museveni also demanded that convicted murderers should automatically suffer death by hanging.

“Really! Somebody has killed a person and you see him walking around, that is a provocation I am telling you. It’s a provocation, we can’t accept it,” Mr Museveni said.

BACKGROUND
This comes days after President Museveni renewed his decade-old push to scrap bail for suspected capital offenders.

In a terse address at the Benedicto Kiwanuka Memorial Lecture, President Museveni also demanded that convicted murderers should automatically suffer death by hanging.