LC1 chairman, seven others handed death penalty over double murder in Namayingo

[Da Dona]

The High Court sitting in Iganga has sentenced eight men to death for the murder of two fishermen who were killed by a mob in Namayingo District in August 2024.

Justice David Batema delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after finding the eight men guilty of murder following evidence presented by the prosecution.

Those sentenced to death are Odongo Misaki, Karoli Lwanga, Musoke Yakuti, Kabwiso Mairadi, Talisuna Muzaham, Wandera Karim, Wasire Pius and Latifu Nyanga.

Court heard that on August 19, 2024, the accused, together with other people who remain at large, participated in the killing of Robert Bagume and Moses Okech at Bukewa Central Village, Buhemba Sub-county, Namayingo District.

The two fishermen had gone fishing on Lake Victoria when they were intercepted by residents who accused them of theft. The victims' hands were tied behind their backs before they were taken to the home of Misaki, who was then the Local Council One (LCI) chairperson for Bukewa Central Zone.

At the residence, the two men were severely beaten by a mob. Post-mortem examinations established that they died from severe traumatic brain injuries caused by blunt-force trauma.

State Attorney Jonathan Tumushime, prosecuting on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), presented eyewitness testimony linking the eight accused to the attack. A key witness told court that several of the accused went to the lake where the fishermen were intercepted before bringing them back to the village.

The witness also identified Misaki as the local leader at whose home the victims were assaulted and named the other accused among those who participated in the mob action.

While delivering his judgment, Justice Batema condemned mob justice, emphasising that community members and local leaders must respect the law rather than take matters into their own hands.
​

“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,” Justice Batema ruled.​

The ODPP welcomed the conviction and sentence, reaffirming its commitment to fighting extrajudicial killings and holding those responsible for mob violence accountable.​

“This conviction and sentence send a clear signal that participation in mob justice will attract the full penalty of the law,” the ODPP stated.​

Uganda retains the death penalty for certain capital offences, including murder, although a death sentence does not necessarily mean an immediate execution, as legal procedures and appeals may follow.

Daily Monitor UG​