SOROTI, Uganda — Ugandan police have opened a murder investigation after two street children were beaten and burned to death in a suspected act of mob justice in the eastern city of Soroti, while a third child survived with injuries after officers intervened.
The attack occurred at around 2:00am on Monday along Town Talks Street in Soroti Central Ward, according to preliminary findings released by police.
Investigators say the three children were assaulted by a group of people who allegedly accused them of theft.
Police said two of the victims died after being set on fire, while officers rescued a third child and rushed the survivor to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital for medical treatment.
The bodies of the two deceased children have been transferred to the city mortuary for postmortem examinations as detectives work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the killings and identify those responsible.
East Kyoga Regional Police Commander Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Saiga condemned the attack, describing it as a grave act of mob justice and urging the public to allow the criminal justice system to handle suspected offenders.
“The Uganda Police Force strongly condemns acts of mob justice and reminds the public that every suspect is entitled to due process under the law,” Saiga said.
He appealed to anyone with information about the incident to cooperate with investigators by reporting to the nearest police station or Soroti Central Police Station.
The killings have once again drawn attention to the persistent problem of vigilante violence in Uganda, where suspects accused of crimes are sometimes attacked by angry crowds before police can intervene.
According to the Uganda Police Force’s Annual Crime Report for 2025, the country recorded 950 murders linked to mob action, representing 22.4% of all homicide cases during the year.
Most of these attacks are linked to allegations of theft, robbery and murder.
