Tension and fear have engulfed Ntulumuko Village in Namuyenje Parish after a member of the local Parish Development Model (PDM) committee allegedly hacked a man to death inside a chicken house before setting his body on fire while he was still alive.
The horrific incident occurred on Sunday evening, leaving residents traumatized as they witnessed the gruesome extrajudicial killing of a man suspected of stealing chickens. According to eyewitnesses, the victim was crying out in agony as flames consumed him.
Christopher Yiga, a known PDM committee member in the village, is accused of carrying out the attack. Police say he tied the victim’s hands with ropes believed to have been used in the chicken theft, hacked him repeatedly with a panga (machete), and then doused him with a flammable substance before setting him ablaze.
When journalists arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, bloodstains were still visible across the floor of the chicken house. The deceased’s body lay smoldering, emitting a sickening odour as embers continued to burn. His hands remained tightly bound.
Mukono District Police swiftly responded to reports of the killing, deploying officers with sniffer dogs. They found Yiga at the scene and arrested him immediately. The body was recovered from inside the chicken house and transported to Mulago Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
Police recovered a blood-stained panga, pieces of firewood, and other items believed to have been used in the attack. The chickens allegedly stolen by the deceased were also recovered and taken to Mukono Police Station as exhibits.
The incident has highlighted deep-seated frustration over rampant livestock theft in the area. Several residents who spoke on condition of anonymity said thieves have become increasingly bold, breaking into homes and poultry houses with ease.
“People now fear human beings more than dogs,” one resident lamented. “They break in even when you are asleep. We are begging the police to increase patrols and provide us with security before more people take the law into their own hands.”
Village Chairperson Robinson Ndimukulaga confirmed receiving reports that a person had been burned in the village. He acknowledged that theft of livestock, particularly chickens and goats, has increased significantly in recent months.
Local leaders have strongly condemned both the rising cases of theft and the brutal manner in which the suspect was killed.
The area councillor from Nakisunga Sub-county and Sub-county Chairperson John Mpanga led a group of leaders in denouncing the act. “While we understand the frustration caused by persistent theft, we cannot accept people taking the law into their own hands,” they stated. “This is murder, and it must be condemned in the strongest terms. We shall fully cooperate with police to establish if others were involved.”
Police have launched a full investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident, how the victim was identified as the thief, and whether Yiga acted alone.
Recheal Kawala, the police spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan and surrounding areas, confirmed the arrest and ongoing investigations.
“We are treating this as a case of murder,” Kawala said. “Our officers are working to establish the full facts surrounding the killing. We urge the public to remain calm and allow the law to take its course. No one has the right to dispense justice in such a barbaric manner.”
As of Monday, the village remained tense, with many residents staying indoors. Police have increased their presence in the area to prevent any further unrest.
The incident comes at a time when the government has been promoting the Parish Development Model (PDM) to uplift household incomes, making Yiga’s alleged involvement as a committee member particularly shocking to residents.
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