When mob violence tears a family apart

LIRA - The haunting story of Agnes Akwee and her children is a stark reminder of the deadly effects of mob justice. 

Once a devoted mother of four, Akwee’s life was cruelly cut short on November 16, 2011, in Owiti village, Amuca ward, Lira city’s West division.

Her brutal murder not only claimed a life; it shattered a family and laid bare the deep scars of community violence, institutional failure and the long shadows cast by unresolved trauma.

A life cut short 

Akwee lived humbly with her ailing great-grandmother, Katherine Auma, as well as her four young children — Sarah Akite, 14, Gerald Acut, 10, Mercy Ejang, 7 and Leah Atto, 3. As the family’s sole provider, she toiled daily to support them, all under the fragile roof of a grass-thatched hut. 

On that tragic morning, Akwee was dragged from her home by a neighbour who accused her of stealing cassava. 

Despite pleading her innocence, a vicious mob beat and dragged Akwee along the ground, abandoning her at the home of the area Local Council chairperson, where she died. 

Too frail to intervene, Auma watched helplessly as her great-granddaughter was taken away. Akwee’s death plunged the family into chaos, grief and destitution.

A family in turmoil 

Following her death, life for the children became a daily struggle. With no parental figure to guide them, they faced hunger, exploitation and neglect. 

Akite, the eldest, stepped into her mother’s shoes far too soon. Forced to drop out of school in Primary Seven due to financial hardships, she worked in neighbours’ gardens to earn money for her siblings and herself.
 
In adulthood, Akite suffered an abusive marriage and later became a single mother of two. Yet, amid relentless hardship, she remains hopeful. 

When Akite eventually separated from her husband, her aunt’s family handed her the three cows given as bride price, which she used to buy land in Orwoma village, Bala sub-county, Kole district. 

There, she built her own modest home. Acut, driven by despair and hunger, turned into a petty thief. His actions alienated the community and even threatened the security of his sister’s land. 

At one point, a villager attempted to seize Akite’s property to compensate for Acut’s alleged crimes. Interventions by Barefoot Lawyers helped prevent further injustice.

Ejang, burdened by hardship, drifted away from the family and now lives a transient, uncertain life. She rarely communicates with her siblings. Atto, the youngest, suffered the most. 

Severely malnourished and neglected, she was rescued by social workers and placed in Watoto Laminadera Children’s Village, where she now receives care and education. 
Having grown apart, she no longer remembers her siblings. When reunited in January, the moment was bittersweet; none of her siblings recognised her.

Justice denied 

Although several suspects were arrested and charged for the killing of Akwee, they were later released on bail and disappeared without consequence. 

No meaningful effort was made to pursue them, and justice for Akwee remains a distant dream. Auma passed away mourning both her great-granddaughter and the system that failed them.

Atto (right) with her foster mother, Beatrice Akello, in January last year.

A growing crisis 

Uganda’s Police Annual Crime Report for 2024 paints a grim picture: 1,016 cases of murder by mob action were reported, slightly down from 1,039 in 2023, a mere 2.2% decrease. 

Most victims were accused of offences such as theft, robbery, murder, witchcraft and burglary. Out of 1,098 victims, a staggering 1,078 were adult males and 20 were adult females. 

North Kyoga, where Lira city lies, recorded the second-highest number of mob killings, trailing only the Albertine region. 

Lira city West has consistently ranked among the top 15 districts for mob violence in the last six years.

Unseen consequences 

Akwee’s death exemplifies the far-reaching devastation of mob justice. It does not merely end lives; it fragments families, breeds poverty and entrenches cycles of fear and trauma. 

The family’s story calls for urgent legal reforms, stronger social protection and broader public education, as well as the consequences of taking the law into one’s own hands.

Glimmers of hope 

Amid the heartache, eldest sibling Akite’s unbreakable spirit shines on. She dreams of acquiring vocational skills to create a better life for herself and her children. 
Meanwhile, Atto’s placement with Watoto offers her a rare chance to rebuild her life although she still longs for a lasting family connection.

A plea for change 

The story of Akwee is more than a family tragedy, it is a national indictment. Behind every mob killing are lives broken, not just ended.

As Akite, Acut, Ejang and Atto struggle to find healing, their journey reminds us of the urgent need to restore trust in justice, strengthen our communities, and protect the vulnerable before another life is so violently taken.

Voices from the region 

Rashida Adong Okecha, Executive dirctor of the rights group Women Peace Initiative Uganda:  

Delays in court processes, perceived judicial corruption, and ignorance of legal procedures fuel mob justice. People have lost faith in the courts. The Government must invest in judicial reforms, proper police facilitation and public legal education.

Col Tony Otoa, clan leader: 

The justice system is slow and corrupt. Cases are poorly investigated; suspects spend years on remand and often walk free. Unless we address this, chaos will follow.

Julius Peter Odwee, former deputy Inspector General of Police and now clan chief: 

Mob killings arise from multidimensional poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance, broken social bonds. It’s not just the Police’s burden. We must all come together; the clergy, elders and law enforcement to stop this.