KAYUNGA.A somber mood engulfed Kangulumira Town in Kayujnga District when a
man suspected to be a drug addict hacked five people with a machete,
killing three instantly.
Angry residents later carried out a hunt for the suspect and killed him.
Ms Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Regional Police spokesperson said the
incident occurred at around 8pm on Tuesday in Kisega village a suburb
of Kangulumira Town.
The killer man, who is believed to be a drug addict and a local
musician, has been identified as Joel Kabaale, who was in his early
30s.
The deceased victims were identified by the police as Robert Wamundu,
a one Bbosa and a six-year old girl, who is daughter to Mr Erizaali
Kawanguzi, the Mengo Deputy chief for Bugerere County.
The other victims who sustained severe bodily injuries include Mr Aziz
Kasujja, whose hand was cut off and an eight year old boy who
sustained severe deep cuts on the head. Both victims are admitted at
Kayunga Regional Referral hospital in critical condition.
Mr Robert Kiggundu, the Kangulumira Town council Mayor said that on
the fateful night, Kabaale who was with other patrons in a local bar
drinking malwa, picked a disagreement on local politics.
“During the quarrel, the drank patrons exchanged blows, prompting
Kabaale to pick a panga and hacked Bbosa and Wamundu, killing them
instantly,” Mr Kiggundu said.
After killing the duo, he fled the bar but as ran away he met Kasujja,
whom he also hacked and cut off his hand.
He later went into hiding prompting locals to mount a hunt for him but
failed due to a power outage in the area.
“The irate residents tried to look for him but because of the darkness
they failed to get him, forcing them to call off the hunt,” Mr
Kiggundu said.
However, on Wednesday morning, attacker (Kabaale) came out of hiding
and went to Mr Kawanguzi’s home in Kangulumira Town from where he found two children. He beat them with a club, killing one instantly while the second one was
rushed to Kayunga Regional Referral hospital in critical condition.
Kabaale tried to flee after the incident. Kabaale and Mr Kawanguzi had
no grudge and it is not clear why he attacked and hacked his children.
But already angry residents got news of Kabaale’s reappearance. They
gathered in big numbers and stormed the scene.
White others yelled in shock, others rounded up Kabaale baying for his blood.
They tried to kill Kabaale but policemen from the nearby Kangulumira
police station arrived in time and fired tear gas and also shot in the
air to disperse the mob, in vain.
The police later gave up, leaving the mob to beat Kabaale to death and
later burnt his body.
Mr Livingstone Twazagye the Kayunga District police commander said the
bodies were taken to Kayunga Regional Referral hospital mortuary for
postmortem.
“We have received information that the attacker was a drug addict. We
are investigating the incident but we want to warn the public against
engaging in mob justice,” the DPC said.
This incident comes barely a week after a mob in Bukolooto Town in
Kayunga district killed a man after his wife during a domestic brawl
shouted that he (husband) was a phone thief.
The mob killed the man and only discovered that he was innocent when
he was dead.
The police arrested the wife and a number of residents, leaving the
village deserted by residents whom the police was looking for.