Uganda Prisons condemns deadly mob attack at prisoner burial

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The Uganda Prisons Service has condemned the "barbaric" mob attack that claimed the life of a Police officer on duty during the burial of a remand prisoner in Ibanda district.

In a statement on Monday (April 7), Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine said the mob attack on Police Constable Suleiman Chemonges was "regrettable".

Chemonges, attached to Bisheshe Police Station, was the police officer deployed at the burial ceremony of remand prisoner Lazarus Kahangire on Sunday (April 6).

However, the ceremony took a dark, deadly turn, as the hapless 28-year-old policeman went under a mob attack that took his life.

'Weak'

Days earlier, critically ill remand prisoner Kahangire, 48, was fighting for his life at Ruhoko Hospital in Ibanda district.

On Friday, he succumbed to his illness at the same hospital, with a subsequent postmortem report indicating the cause of death as lobar pneumonia and anaemia, according to the Prisons' statement.

He had been admitted to Nyabuhikye Government Prison in Ibanda on March 20 this year on charges of attempted murder.

"Right from the time of admission, he was weak, weighed 49 kg and had a medical history," said Baine.

He died after two weeks in custody.

At Kahangire's burial in Ibanda two days after his death, PC Chemonges was reportedly attacked and killed by a mob, reportedly blaming him for his role in Kahangire's arrest and subsequent detention.

Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said in a statement that Chemonges tried to defend himself by firing warning shots, but he was overpowered by his irate attackers.

Police recovered an SMG rifle with 16 rounds of ammunition at the scene.

In the wake of the deadly mob attack, Kituuma said Police had arrested 29 suspects in connection with the murder and that the search for other suspects continued.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Police spokesman, said they suspect the relatives of Kahangire were behind the deadly mob attack.

"Uganda Prisons Service condemns this barbaric act in the strongest terms possible. Uganda Police Force should ensure that the culprits are brought to book," said Prisons publicist Baine.

"UPS continues to extend condolences to the families of the police constable and the deceased prisoner."