The bloodied and dirty-looking man is motionless on the hospital bed at Ruhoko Health Centre IV in Ibanda Municipality. 

His battered body has deep wounds with several other cuts on the hands and legs. He is bare-chested with only a pair of trousers on. 

That he is still alive, is thanks to the Police for their timely intervention, rescue and evacuation to the health centre where he is receiving treatment.

According to Ibanda district Police commander, Twaha Etima, Police responded to an anonymous caller, saying a man was being beaten up by a mob near Ankore High School, about two kilometres from Ibanda town. 

"We sent officers there and they rescued him from the angry mob, but we are yet to find out more details about him, including his name," Etima said when contacted about the incident that happened at about 9:00am today (February 10).

However, Ibanda deputy Resident District Commissioner Seif Katabazi, who reached the scene, said the man was allegedly found with a panga and a knife and that he had tried to steal a motorcycle from a bodaboda rider. 

“The rider made an alarm, attracting people in Kirumirire area near Ankore High School who caught the suspect as he was trying to escape and beat him up,” Katabazi said. 

The area is about 600 metres from Ibanda Central Police Station.

However, by the time the Police arrived, the man had been beaten into coma. 

About four riders were killed by motorcycle thieves in Ibanda last year.

A source at Ruhoko Health Centre said the suspect has not uttered a word, adding that he was only identified by some people attending to patients at the medical facility as Muhwezi alias Cameron.

“They said he is from Kihumuro in Kitagwenda district and was recently released from jail where he served a sentence for murder,” added the source. 

The DPC said investigations into the matter had started.