PANIC AS A DEAD BODY FOUND IN LIRA CITY.

In what can be seen as mob justice, a 32 year old man identified as Paul Ojuka was clobbered to death by yet to be known suspects in the night of 11 September, 2023 around Ober Entebbe Cell, Ojwina in Lira City West.

The lifeless blood-stained naked body of Ojuka was recovered lying along the Lira-Kamdini road (Juba Road Section) with some clubs and concrete stones suspected to have been used in the murder.

According to a statement from the Uganda Police Force (UPF) PRO for Kyoga North, Jimmy Patrick Okema, the deceased was a resident of Alela Cell, Ayer Sub County in neighbouring Kole district.

The cause of the incident and suspects behind has not yet been established, but detectives, accompanied by the scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) from the nearby Ojwina Police Station, visited the scene.

The body was taken to the morgue attached to the Lira Regional Referral Hospital for a post mortem examination before it can be handed over to the relatives for burial.

Sources suspect that the deceased could have been caught stealing or that he was part of the criminal gangs who failed to share their booty properly, leading to the murder.

Mob justice is a capital offence in Uganda and carries a maximum of death on the gallows upon conviction. The police have always discouraged Ugandans from holding the laws in their hands but to hand over suspects to be prosecuted before competent courts of law.

Some people advance so many theories to justify mob justice, notably accusing some rogue police personnel of always working with criminals who give them money in exchange for freedom and come back to terrorize the community.

By Arao Denis