Mob nearly lynches man accused of defiling 5-year-old girl.
BUTALEJA, UGANDA – A chilling scene unfolded in Nambale village, Butaleja sub-county, when an enraged mob nearly lynched Yarled Muleege, 35, after he was allegedly caught in the act of defiling a 5-year-old girl on Thursday evening.
Eyewitnesses say the suspect, Muleege, ambushed the little girl—daughter of Paperi Magolo—at around 8:00 PM, dragging her into a nearby bush near Butesa Trading Centre. The child’s desperate cries for help alerted villagers, who stormed the scene and unleashed their fury on the accused.
"They beat him like a snake—no mercy!" one witness recounted. "If the police hadn’t arrived, he would be dead by now."
Muleege at Butaleja Health Centre III, he was handcuffed to a hospital bed, his body covered in deep bruises, his face swollen beyond recognition. Barely able to speak, he whimpered:
"I was innocent… they set me up… my neighbours have hated me for a long time!"
Shockingly, District Police Commander Jackson Maumbe revealed that Muleege had previously been acquitted of defilement charges, escaping a 25-year jail sentence. Now, he faces the wrath of both the law and the community.
"We will examine him and the girl to confirm the truth," Maumbe stated, warning parents: "Stop sending children out alone at night! Elders must escort them!"
Michael Hiire, the clinic’s in-charge, confirmed Muleege’s critical condition, adding: "This is the second such case I’ve handled. In November, another man was nearly killed for defiling a 10-year-old."
