The police officers attached to Kitigoma Police Post in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe district are in panic following the death of a suspect in custody.
Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Region Police spokesperson says on January 9, 2024 at around 5:00pm, police officers from Kitigoma Police Post were called to save a mob justice suspect who was red-handed stealing matooke.
Butoto said the incident happened at Jomayi-Namatogonya zone, Kitigoma in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe district.
“It is alleged that Police received a call from Kitigoma cell chairperson that there was a thief arrested at Jomayi-Namatogonya Zone who was being assaulted by Mob. The officer from Kitigoma Police post therefore responded and saved the suspect,” he says.
Unfortunately, instead of taking the wounded mob suspect to the hospital for medical attention, it is alleged that the police officers just took him to the police cell where he was later declared dead.
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Butoto said that during the course of his rescue by Police, the suspect (now deceased) also called his mother to come and settle the bills of what he had stolen. It was however not revealed whether the mother responded as asked by the suspect or not.
“The deceased’s body was observed with external marks of violence (assault marks) which were at the back, both fore and behind limbs with one broken arm. No deep injury or cut was found on the deceased body,” said Butoto adding that he is however not yet identified.
The body was delivered to Jinja Referral Hospital for Post-mortem as the investigations into the matter is underway.
Butoto also condemned the residents’ deliberate use of mob justice to address crime, saying it is illegal and punishable in law. She advised them to always call the Police whenever they arrest suspects to have them charged and reprimanded.