Oyam, Uganda | Police in Oyam District have condemned acts of mob justice following the killing of a 35-year-old man in Iceme Sub-county over allegations of goat theft.
The deceased, Okello Bonny, a resident of Teyen “B” Village, Orupu Parish, was allegedly lynched by a mob in the early hours of February 4, 2026, after residents accused him of moving with a suspected stolen goat.
Police said the incident occurred at about 6:00am along Teyen–Opur Road after villagers raised an alarm, shouting “thief, thief”, upon allegedly finding the deceased with the animal tied to his leg.
Okello Patrick, the Local Council I chairperson of Teyen “B” Village, reported the matter to Iceme Police Station at around 7:47am after he was alerted by a resident, identified as Juny Okwen.
By the time he arrived at the scene, the deceased had already been killed.
A case of murder was registered at Iceme Police Station, and police homicide officers later visited and documented the scene.
Statements were recorded from witnesses to aid investigations.
The body was conveyed to Anyeke Health Centre IV mortuary for postmortem examination, while the goat suspected to have been stolen was recovered and is being held at the police station pending identification by its owner.
By press time, no arrests had been made.
In a statement, the North Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson, SP Patrick Jimmy Okema, described mob justice as “illegal and primitive”, warning that it undermines the criminal justice system and denies suspects their right to a fair hearing.
He urged communities to report suspected crimes to police and support investigations with credible evidence instead of taking the law into their own hands.
Investigations into the killing were ongoing.
