One person was killed and two others seriously injured after they were allegedly attacked and set ablaze by an angry mob over suspected theft in Soroti City in the early hours of Monday morning. The incident occurred at around 3:00 a.m. along Town Talks Street. According to eyewitnesses, three unidentified young men were accused of robbing a soldier of his mobile phone and money.
Witnesses said the soldier was reportedly confronted by a group of about five people, leading to a scuffle. The soldier is said to have overpowered one of the suspects while the others fled the scene. Residents who responded allegedly demanded that the suspect identify his accomplices and help recover the stolen property. An eyewitness, who requested anonymity, said one of the alleged accomplices, identified only as Polo, escaped on a motorcycle before a group of residents began searching for the others.
The eyewitness claimed that one suspect was found hiding near Pioneer Street, tied between two motorcycles and dragged back to Town Talks Street. Another individual who reportedly arrived at the scene was mistaken for an accomplice. The two were allegedly beaten before being set on fire using polythene bags filled with petrol. Police later intervened and rescued the two injured men, who were rushed to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital for treatment. One of the victims died from the injuries sustained, and the body was taken to the Soroti City Mortuary.
Residents say criminal youth gangs have increasingly terrorized people in Soroti City through robberies and assaults, particularly at night. Some of the groups are commonly referred to as the Owokiwok Gang, Afrigo Boys, Fangon Gang and Matayo Gang, and are said to operate in areas including Town Talks, Teso and Nakatunya. By Monday morning, police had not yet issued an official statement on the incident or confirmed the identities of the deceased and the injured. Investigations are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged robbery and the subsequent mob attack-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
