A man suspected of stealing chickens was brutally killed and his body set on fire by a Parish Development Model (PDM) committee member in Mukono District, sparking fear and tension among residents of Ntulumuko Village in Namuyenje Parish.
The incident happened on Sunday evening when Christopher Yiga allegedly attacked the suspect inside a chicken house after accusing him of stealing poultry.
According to police and eyewitnesses, Yiga allegedly tied the victim’s hands using ropes believed to have been used during the alleged theft before hacking him several times with a panga. He is further accused of pouring a flammable substance on the victim and setting him ablaze while he was still alive.
Residents said the victim cried out for help as flames engulfed his body, leaving many traumatized by the gruesome killing.
By the time this website arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, bloodstains were still visible inside the chicken house, while the victim’s partially burnt body remained at the scene with the hands still tied.
Mukono District Police responded to the incident with the help of sniffer dogs and found Yiga at the scene before arresting him immediately.
Police recovered a blood-stained panga, pieces of firewood and other items believed to have been used in the killing. Chickens allegedly stolen by the deceased were also recovered and taken to Mukono Police Station as exhibits.
The body was later transported to Mulago Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination.
The incident has once again exposed growing concerns over increasing cases of livestock theft in the area. Residents said theft of chickens and goats has become rampant, with thieves frequently targeting homes and poultry houses at night.
“People now fear human beings more than dogs,” one resident said anonymously. “We need more police patrols because residents are becoming desperate.”
Village Chairperson Robinson Ndimukulaga confirmed the incident and acknowledged the rise in livestock theft cases in the area.
Local leaders condemned both the theft and the mob-style killing, warning residents against taking the law into their own hands.
Nakisunga Sub-county councillor and Sub-county Chairperson John Mpanga said the act amounted to murder despite frustrations caused by theft.
“We understand the anger in the community, but no one has the right to kill a suspect in such a brutal manner,” Mpanga said. “We shall cooperate with police investigations to establish whether other people participated in the attack.”
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Recheal Kawala confirmed Yiga’s arrest and said investigations into the murder had commenced.
“We are treating this as a murder case,” Kawala said. “We urge members of the public to remain calm and allow the law to take its course.”
Police have since increased deployment in the village as investigations continue.
