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A Rwandan has been killed by a mob in Kirisa village, Kahungye sub county in Kabale district.

Elias Twizeye was killed by a mob on Monday, March 25, 2024, after he was allegedly caught breaking into a local resident's shop.

Kigezi Police region spokesperson Elly Maate in a statement said he was among two suspects who were caught red handed by the owner of the shop breaking in.

“Police in the Kabale area are investigating circumstances surrounding the death of one Twizeye, a male adult Rwandan casual worker,” Maate said.

He revealed that, information was received by the officer in charge Kahungye Police post from Sunday Kabemera the Nyombe village chairperson on Monday, March 25 2024 at about 2:00am, that there were unknown men who were found in Nyombe trading centre breaking into the shop belonging to Micheal Tugyendenawe and were stealing from it.

“He made an alarm that attracted local residents who tried to arrest [them] but the thieves resisted, leading to the escape of one. Twizeye who was arrested by the locals, was lynched on the spot. The matter was registered at Kahungye Police post, the OC rushed to the crime scene and found the victim already dead and he informed the Kabale team,” he added.

Maate said a team of officers from Kabale visited the scene and documented it.

“Statements were obtained and the deceased was later Identified as Twizeye who was working at the home of the late Ndagijimana of Kinisa village, Kahungye sub-county in Kabale district as a casual worker,” he stated.

The body was then taken to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for post-mortem and, according to the Police, inquiries are ongoing and efforts to get those involved are being made so that they are arraigned before courts of law.

Cases of murder by mob

According to the Annual Crime Police Report of 2023 released last month, by the end of 2023, a total of 1,039 cases of murder by mob action were reported to Police compared to 953 cases reported in 2022, giving an increase of 9% in this crime category. Victims of mob action were mainly suspected to have committed the following offences: Theft, robbery, murder, witchcraft and burglary thereby making suspects take the law into their own hands.