Police have warned the public against taking the law into their own hands, saying offenders will be apprehended and prosecuted accordingly.

The warning comes barely three days after two men (father and son) killed one Augustine Habakurama, 56, for alleged theft, and dumped his body in a banana plantation.

"We want to warn people against mob justice. People should avoid taking the law into their hands by killing suspects. If suspects are captured, they should be handed over to Police for proper course of action,” IP Emmanuel Kayigi, Eastern Region Police spokesman, said.

Kayigi, who is also the Eastern Region Police Judicial Officer, warned such culprits, saying that punitive action awaits them.

He said the perception that a person caught red-handed committing a crime must be executed must stop. "It should be clear that mob justice is punishable by law,” Kayigi said.

Article 151 of the Penal Code stipulates that a person found guilty of beating, injuring or killing a person will be jailed for between 10 and 15 years.

If that person commits such a crime in a manner that is premeditated, they face life imprisonment – the maximum sentence in the land.

Emil Niyonkuru, 19, and his father Straton Murindabigwi, 54, residents of Nyagatugungwa village, Zaza Sector in Ngoma District, the suspects in the death of Habakurama, are detained at Nsinda prison.

Charles Kazadi, the executive secretary of Zaza Sector, said there is need for public awareness on the dangers of mob justice. "We have always warned against mob justice but people seem to have turned a deaf ear”.

Local residents said theft of crops in gardens was rampant forcing them to turn to lynching suspects. "The deceased was inflicted with deep machete cuts after he was caught stealing in a banana plantation. We are tired of lazy people who steal our produce. The crime was committed because hard working residents get frustrated when lazy people start stealing their crops,” said a resident who preferred anonymity.