Luweero Mob Justice Escalates as another Robbery Suspect is Lynched

Police in Luwero district are struggling to curb the rampant mob justice and motorcycle thefts. 

The latest victim of mob action is Fazil Otembi aged 43 years a resident of Butambuza village in Nyimbwa sub-county in Luwero district.  Otembi was killed on Monday at around 9 pm at Bombo UMEA Complex in Bombo town council along the Kampala- Gulu highway. 

Otembi was accused of earlier on stealing two motorcycles earlier and selling them in Kampala City. Kampala City is a destination for many motorcycles stolen from Luwero district.

According to Sam Twiineamazima, the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson, Otembi was spotted at Mile 21 in Bombo town on Monday before a mob chased and rounded him at the Bombo UMEA complex where they beat him to death.

Twiineamazima said that by the time Policemen from Bombo Police Station rushed to the scene, Otembi had died and the mob dispersed.

Police transferred the dead body to Luwero hospital for postmortem and an  investigation into the case is ongoing 

“A case of murder by a mob has been registered and relevant statements were recorded from relevant witnesses. We urge the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands” Twiineamazima said. 

According to a Police crime report released last month, at least 22 people were killed by mob action in 2024 from Luwero and as a result, the district ranked with the highest cases.   

The report indicates that from 2019 to 2024, 127 people have been killed by mob justice.   The causes of mob action are linked to thefts especially motorcycles which are rampant in the district.

According to the Annual Crime Report, 138 motorcycles were stolen and 20 others were robbed in 2024 from Luwero. The district was ranked in the sixth position with the highest cases across the country.

Robert Ssekyanzi, Luwero Town Council Boda Boda Association Chairperson said that in the wake of increasing cases of thefts, boda boda riders have resorted to mob action in case they apprehend any suspect because the Police have failed to stop the crimes.

“Several motorcyclists have been killed and others survived with permanent injuries due to the robberies. So the riders have resolved to fight back to save their lives as well as stop the thefts” Ssekyanzi said.