A terrifying series of incidents including murder retaliatory killing and violence has put Mukono Police on high alert as they look into it. Shock and anxiety engulf the quiet village of Kakoola while officials attempt to sort out the drama that is developing.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police’s deputy public relations officer, Luke Owoyesigyire, the Territorial Police in Mukono are presently looking into three extremely alarming instances including murder and malicious property damage. A fatal tragedy occurred in Kakoola Village, which is located in Nama Sub-county, Mukono district, on April 12, 2024, at approximately one o’clock in the afternoon.
In a statement released by Owoyesigyire, he narrates that in this harrowing event, four individuals were subjected to brutal violence by members of the Kakoola community. They were mercilessly beaten and burned beyond recognition. Among them, two were identified as Junior Masiga and Semujju Abdallah, while the other two are yet to be identified. “Inquiries revealed that this act of barbarity stemmed from an earlier incident of Murder in Kakola village, Katogo Parish,” he said.
According to Oweyesigyere, the horrific events of April 11, 2024, are what started this spiral of violence. Two Boda Boda riders suffered a terrible fate on that fateful day when they became the victims of a vicious assault that took their lives.
In addition to taking their lives with such brutality, the attackers stole their motorcycles, which belonged to Sande Ssemanda and Mawanda Richard, with the registration numbers UFF955G and UFX 119V. The murderers then heartlessly dumped their dead bodies in a nearby marsh, leaving a path of sorrow and hopelessness in their wake.
According to information that has surfaced, Senyondo John, a resident who is being held at Mukono CPS, recognized the potential attackers from that tragic evening. However, the community chose vigilante justice instead of reporting them to the authorities. They located the accused and beat them severely before setting them on fire so they would not recognize themselves.
Moreover, suspicions persisted about other people who might have been connected to the Boda Boda riders’ murders. Once again, the community took matters into their own hands, capturing these people and escorting them to the grave of one of the fallen riders. There, they summarily killed them and set their corpses on fire.
The Mukono Police, in collaboration with other security agencies, swiftly responded to this horrific act of Mob justice and Malicious Damage to the Property of another resident who was also suspected. As a result, 29 individuals have been apprehended to assist in the ongoing investigations.
Concurrently, an intensive probe is underway to uncover any additional suspects involved in the initial murder of the two riders and the two separate cases of mob justice and Malicious Damage. “We urge the public to refrain from resorting to Mob justice, as it not only fails to deliver justice but also obstructs law enforcement efforts by impeding evidence collection…” said Oweyesigyere.
Meanwhile, the horrific attack on defenceless Boda Boda riders that started out as a tragedy has turned into a story of vigilantism and retaliation, leaving community members of Kakoola Village devastated and scarred.
This cycle of violence has always been witnessed in many parts of Uganda and research has shown that it is only been strengthened by the lack of faith in the legal system. Yet the use of mob justice has always left a deepening of the wounds suffered by all parties.
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