Two suspected livestock thieves from Buwekula cell in Jinja City Northern division met their end on Monday when enraged residents torched them upon after being found roasting meat allegedly taken from stolen goats.
The deceased suspects have been identified as 22-year-old Musisi Mafabi and 24-year-old Byeko Onyango. Following the mob action, their bodies were taken to Jinja regional referral mortuary for a postmortem examination.
The suspects were caught roasting the meat in a bush near the railway line. The aroma of the roasted meat spread to neighboring homes, arousing the curiosity of residents, who then traced its source.
Upon witnessing the suspects roasting, and packing the meat in locally designed metallic warmers, the angry residents surrounded them and used the same fire from their charcoal stoves to set them ablaze.
One resident, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, stated that the two were notorious thieves known for collaborating with hardcore criminals from other areas to terrorize Buwekula village and its surrounding communities.
He explained that the reluctance of the suspects’ parents to address the accusations against their children added to the community’s anger, leading to swift mob action.
Another resident, Hussein Tenywa, disclosed that the suspects stole five goats from his farm on July 29th. However, he refrained from reporting them to the police due to the lack of incriminating evidence.
The area has been facing a rising wave of insecurity for the past five months, fueling public anger. Many community members have resorted to mob justice to deal with criminals swiftly rather than going through lengthy legal prosecution processes.
James Mubi, the Kiira Regional police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and stated that detectives have been deployed to apprehend all suspects involved in the mob justice incident.
Mubi raised concern over the increasing use of isolated places by suspects involved in animal thefts, where they slaughter the stolen animals, roast the meat, and then sell it to unsuspecting customers in slums, schools, and markets.
Mubi urged the public to cooperate with the police, handing over suspected criminals for thorough investigations and proper prosecution.
He explains this approach would be more effective in dismantling criminal gangs and preventing mob action like the one that unfolded in Buwekula.
