The Police in Buikwe district are investigating circumstances under which a local musician was beaten and burnt to death by the mob in Lugazi Municipality.
Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Region Police spokesperson identified the deceased as Patrick Okello Okech whose stage name in the music industry has been Smokie Rise.
Butoto says Smokie Rise was lynched on January 5, when he had gone with other two of his accomplices to steal chicken from Andrew Kibudde’s home at around 4:00am.
“Smokie Rise was in the company of two other colleagues who escaped death when they managed to take off as the mob zeroed on him, beaten and burnt him to death,” she said.
She added that the three had gone to steal chicken belonging to Kibudde at around 4:00am and the owners were alerted by the dog that was barking prompting the couple to get out.
“Upon checking around, the couple saw three men standing by the fence and one was busy picking the chicken .They made an alarm that attracted residents to the scene, got hold of one of the suspects, took him by the roadside and killed him,” said Butoto.
She alleged that though Kibudde tried to save the life of Smokie Rise, he was overpowered by the angry residents who took the law into their hands.
The relatives to Smokie Rise picked the body from Kawolo General Hospital mortuary to take it to his ancestral ground where they accorded him burial.
Some of Smokie Rise’s friends who turned up at the mortuary to pick his body showed dismay to his talent which had been prematurely terminated by the mob.
“He has been a very talented young man who had so far recorded six songs that have been mostly playing on Galaxy FM. Unfortunately, due to the poor economy, Smokie has been struggling to earn a living,” he said.