Mob kills 43-year-old man for stealing coffee and groundnuts in Kibaale

7 January 2025, 8:05 pm

By Kato Joseph

Irate residents of Kyampunu-Kihumuro village, Kisengwe subcounty in Kakumiro district, have lynched a man for allegedly stealing dried coffee and groundnuts from a produce store.

The deceased has been identified as Hamis Mawejje, a resident of Muliika-Igoza village in Nyamarwa upcountry, Kibaale district.

Sowedi Mukwaya, an uncle to the deceased, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Sunday at 10pm. Mukwaya stated that Mawejje was killed by angry residents who caught him stealing dried coffee and groundnuts from one of the stores in Kihumuro. According to Mukwaya, the residents tied Mawejje’s hands before fatally attacking him with an axe, smashing his head, and later dumping his body on the road.

Gabriel Baguma, the LCI Chairperson of Muliika-Igoza village, claimed that the deceased was a known serial thief in the area and had allegedly trained a gang of youths in Igoza village who were terrorizing residents.

Several concerned residents also accused the deceased of being a notorious thief who sometimes collaborated with armed robbers.

Sources revealed that Mawejje had recently been released from jail on court bail two months ago after being charged with stealing 35 hens from various areas in Nyamarwa.
By the time of reporting, no police had visited the scene. However, the deceased’s relatives retrieved the body yesterday and buried it this morning at his home.