An 11-year-old boy, Navas Mugisa, has died after being struck by a stray bullet fired by police during a confrontation in Kyakapere village, Buhuka Parish, Kyangwali Sub County, Kikuube District. Navas, the son of Julius Tumusiime and Magret Adong, was caught in the crossfire on Monday evening as tensions escalated between residents and the police.
According to information gathered by Uganda Radio Network (URN), the incident occurred after police were alerted that a mob in Kyakapere village had arrested Deborah Bero, accusing her of witchcraft and alleging that she was responsible for the recent mysterious death of a resident.
Police intervened and rescued Bero from the mob. However, the intervention angered the residents, who began throwing stones at the officers, resulting in injuries to the police driver. In response, police fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd. It was during this chaotic exchange that Navas Mugisa was reportedly hit by a stray bullet.
Despite being rushed to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital for treatment, Mugisa was pronounced dead on arrival. Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident and condemned the actions of the residents, noting that the police had to act in self-defense after being attacked with stones.
