Africa-Press – Uganda. At least 80 people have been left homeless after 28 huts in Jalakech village, Ndhew Sub-county in Nebbi District were torched in a revenge attack at the weekend.
Witnesses said the raid followed the stabbing dead of Felix Adegitho, 27, by a resident with whom he had earlier disagreed over a music system at a drinking joint.
“As Adegitho was returning home, he was stabbed by his colleague who had already left in anger and waylaid him, stabbing him to death. Unfortunately, the relatives later attacked the village of the suspect burning the houses,” a witness, who preferred anonymity for fear of retribution, said.
The district police commander, Mr Grace Musoke, corroborated the narrative.
Mr Bosco Okwai, the Ndhew Sub-county chairman, told Daily Monitor on Monday that the deceased was an orphan and using his music system to raise money.
“Such arguments shouldn’t have ended up this way. Our youth should manage their anger instead of acting inhumanely like this,” he said, citing decaying morals, agnostic living, and lawlessness.
“Mob justice isn’t the right way of solving differences, but people must learn how to sort out their differences through engagement of different stakeholders to promote peace in their own community,” Mr Okwai said.
In 2018, about 100 people were also left homeless after several houses were burnt in retaliation between communities of Agule and Acer of Jupalyec over land dispute in the same Ndhew Sub-county.
In the latest incident, police say a mob raided the home of the detained suspect and torched buildings and properties worth millions of shillings after news of the killing of Adegitho spread.
Ms Grace Musoke, the district police commander, said the attackers — none of whom has been arrested so far — looted valuable household items and animals.
The mob action happened despite ongoing police sensitisation, physically and on the radios, cautioning the communities not to take the law into their hands.
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