A retired Uganda People’s Defence Force soldier has been beaten by an angry mob to death in Namutumba District for allegedly stealing two mattresses.
Pte Waiswa Kabalindi, 40, a resident of Itonko village in Namutumba Town Council, was lynched to death on Tuesday.
Waiswa served as a UPDF soldier from 1999 to 2003 and he retired in 2004 after suffering a strange illness.
Namutumba District police commander Eugene Elwaru confirmed the death adding that the deceased has been a habitual thief although he castigated residents for taking the law into their hands.
“We got information about the incident (lynching of the soldier). We know him and he had been caught before engaging in numerous theft cases using a UPDF identity card,’’ he said.
He also condemned what he described as ‘bad practices’ of retired soldiers in the district.
Mr Elwaru said some have resorted to stealing people’s property.
“Last month, we arrested a retired UPDF solder for stealing a goat and within a short time, another retired solder is killed for reportedly stealing two mattresses,’’ he said.
Mr Nakolantia Kabalindi, the father of the deceased, who is also Itonko village chairperson, said he had on several occasions tried to counsel his son to abandon the vice but in vain.
