Police in Mbarara have rescued two people suspected to be serial thieves in local markets.
The two, who were beaten to near death, had been found and apprehended by traders in Kankwanike Market, Rwebikoona in Mbarara Municipality.
They were undressed, beaten paraded and knocked down multiple times with a motorcycles.
The traders after brutally beating the suspects were preparing to set them ablaze when police intervened and rescued them.
One of the suspects died after arriving in hospital
The angry traders claimed the two were part of a syndicate in the market that was stealing their merchandise.
After being arrested, the two owned up to their habit and pleaded for forgiveness claiming that economic hardships had pushed them into stealing. This only incensed the traders who started beating them up.
Traders said the syndicate is comprised of mainly street kids, school children and traders themselves in most cases.
Wilson Mubangizi one of the traders in the market said the suspects had stolen Shs. 60,000 from a student who was sent by his parents to purchase school materials in the market.
One of the traders explains the mob justice
Upon rescue, the suspects were taken to Mbarara Referral Hospital where we understand one of them died on arrival.
The DPC Mbarara Jaffar Magyezi condemned the act of taking the laws into their hands and urged school children to keep their property and money in this time of going back to school as one way of avoiding such criminals.