Suspected Thief Lynched by Mob in Kasese

What the report says

Nile Post reported that police in Kasese District have condemned a fatal mob attack after residents allegedly beat a suspected thief who was said to have been attempting to break into a home in Kasese Municipality. The incident reportedly happened at about 1:45am on Saturday in Kamaiba Cell, Kamaiba Ward, Central Division. The deceased was identified only as Bright.

According to the report, Rwenzori East Regional Police spokesperson ASP Elly Maate said preliminary police information indicated that the suspect had earlier allegedly grabbed a woman’s handbag before going to another home. Police said he was accused of breaking a window with a hammer while trying to enter the house, prompting the homeowner to raise an alarm that drew residents to the scene.

Nile Post reported that police arrived after being alerted and found the man critically injured. Officers tried to take him to hospital, but he died on the way, according to Maate. The body was taken to Kasese Health Centre IV Mortuary for a postmortem examination, and detectives recovered a small hammer believed to have been used to break the window. Police said inquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances and identify those involved in the assault.

The case has renewed concern over mob justice, which police have repeatedly warned is a criminal offence. Maate urged residents not to take the law into their own hands, saying suspected offenders should be apprehended peacefully and handed over to police for investigation and possible prosecution through the courts.