Teacher hacked to death as machete-wielding assailants raid Kakumiro church
Lias Mugume, a teacher at Benitah High School in Katikara town, Kakumiro District was killed during an attack on a church on June 20, 2023. PHOTO/ COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Mr Sunday William, the secretary for security and community affairs in the district said the assailants stormed Katikara Church of Uganda located in Katikara trading center, Katikara Sub County at around 1am on Tuesday and started hacking people who had dozed off during overnight prayers.
Police in Kakumiro District in western Uganda are in pursuit of yet to be identified machete-wielding assailants who raided a church in the wee hours of Tuesday morning and hacked one member to death.
Unconfirmed number of other congregants is also nursing wounds sustained during the attack.
Mr Sunday William, the secretary for security and community affairs in the district said the assailants stormed Katikara Church of Uganda located in Katikara trading center, Katikara Sub County at around 1am on Tuesday and started hacking people who had dozed off during overnight prayers.
A member of the congregation, identified as Lias Mugume who is a teacher at Benitah High School in Katikara town died on spot. Another church member identified as Aggrey Niwagaba is in critical condition.
One of the people who were injured during the attack admitted at a health facility on June 20, 2023.
‘‘People were attending overnight prayers when the attack happened. After the night prayers, they decided to sleep in the church. However, shortly after sleeping, people armed with pangas raided the church and started randomly hacking members of the congregation. One died on spot while others are nursing grave injuries. Others fled the church to save their lives,’’ Mr Williams told this publication on Tuesday morning.
The motive of the attack is yet to be established.
When contacted, the Kakumiro District Police Commander, SP Edgar Kulaigye confirmed the attack and said police were in pursuit of the assailants.
The attack comes just days after suspected rebels last Friday raided Lhubiriha Secondary School in Kasese District, located about 260km away in the same region, killed 37 students and five other community members.
