news 7 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Namayingo Double Murder: LC1 Chair and Seven Others Sentenced to Death
A High Court in Iganga has sentenced eight men, including an LC1 chairperson, to death for their role in a brutal mob killing of two fishermen in Namayingo District. The court emphasized that mob justice is a grave offense and leadership includes upholding the law. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lc1-chairman-seven-others-handed-death-penalty-over-double-murder-in-namayingo-5623922
In a landmark ruling, the High Court sitting in Iganga has handed down the death penalty to eight men for their direct involvement in the mob killing of two fishermen in Namayingo District. The convictions stem from an incident on August 19, 2024, where Robert Bagume and Moses Okech were allegedly intercepted near Lake Victoria on accusations of theft.
The victims were reportedly tied and brought to the residence of the then Local Council One (LC1) Chairperson for Bukewa Central Zone, Odongo Misaki, who was among those sentenced. Prosecution evidence, including eyewitness accounts, placed all eight convicted individuals at the scene and implicated them in the severe assault that followed.
Court documents indicate that the two fishermen died from severe traumatic brain injuries, consistent with blunt force trauma inflicted during the brutal beating. Presiding Judge David Batema found compelling evidence presented by the prosecution, leading to guilty verdicts on two counts of murder for Odongo Misaki, Karoli Lwanga, Musoke Yakuti, Kabwiso Mairadi, Talisuna Muzaham, Wandera Karim, Wasire Pius, and Latifu Nyanga.
Justice Batema strongly condemned the act of mob justice, stating, “The taking of human life under the guise of mob justice is a violent crime that court cannot condone. Leadership carries the duty to uphold the law, not to preside over illegal execution.” The judge stressed that community members and local leaders cannot resort to vigilantism.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting extrajudicial killings, issuing a statement that the conviction serves as a clear warning against participation in mob justice. They emphasized their dedication to holding perpetrators accountable and protecting the right to life under the rule of law.
While Uganda’s laws include the death penalty for capital offenses, such sentences often undergo constitutional review and can be commuted to life imprisonment. This case highlights the judiciary’s stance against unlawful violence and the severe consequences for those who engage in mob justice.