Court postpones Lyantonde mob justice case

Hearing of a case in which a prominent garment dealer in Lyantonde and her daughter are accused of leading a mob that lynched a suspected thief has been postponed to 21st May 2016.

Aisha Umamurera Lubwama (56) and Rehema Busingye both residents of Kaliiro Ward A in Lyantonde town council and others still at large are said to have lynched Yasin Nuuwa Matovu (29), a casual labourer whom they suspected to be a thief.

It is said that unknown people broken into Umamurera's garment shop and made off with dozens of clothes mainly shirts. But a few days later, Umamurera saw Matovu wearing a shirt similar to the ones which had been stolen.

She made an alarm attracting a mob that surrounded Matovu. Matovu refuted the accusations saying he bought the shirt from a different shop.

They tied him on a pole and beat him to death with clubs and stones. The incident occurred on 23th August 2014. Police arrested Umamurera shortly after the incident and charged her with murder.

Prosecution led by Shibah Byakutaga produced a video and played in court showing Umamurera, Busingye in the act while other residents looked on. The case will resume on 21 May 2016.