The family of a Manchester United Football Club fan has been thrown into mourning following the death of its kin after he was allegedly attacked by a rival fan.
Benjamin Okello, a resident of Katenga Parish, Kaharo Sub County of Kabale District in Western Uganda, met his untimely death after he was assaulted by an Arsenal FC fan as per multiple reports by local media.
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Police in Uganda said that the Sunday evening incident at Kyobugombe Trading Centre happened after Arsenal was held to two all draw by Liverpool during their English Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium in London.
A manhunt for the main suspect, whom Kaharo Sub County LCIII Chairperson Edmond Tumwesigye identified as a man in his 30s, is ongoing.
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According to Tumwesigye, the incident happened in a video hall at the trading centre where both fans were watching the football match between the two EPL giants.
He said that when Liverpool scored an equalizer in the dying moments of the second half, the Manchester united fan, now the deceased, started celebrating which angered the Arsenal fan.
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Manchester United and Arsenal Fans clash
It is alleged that the deceased threw popcorns at the Arsenal fan sparking an argument between the two. After the game, the Arsenal fan picked a stick and hit the Manchester United fan causing him to fall down before he was rushed to hospital.
“I received information yesterday (Monday) morning that two men fought on Sunday night in Kyobugombe trading centre and one of them was rushed to Bukinda Health Centre for treatment and was referred to Rugarama where he died from,” Tumwesigye narrated as quoted by Monitor publication.
“A scuffle started in a video hall at Kyobugombe trading centre where they were watching a football match between Arsenal and Liverpool.”
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The District Police Commander (DPC) Joseph Bakaleke, on his part, confirmed that police are yet to arrest the suspect who is said to be on the run.
“We got information indicating that the two boys who were supporters of two different teams had a scuffle and in so doing, one assaulted the other. It is alleged that when the assaulted one was taken to the hospital later alone, he met his death,” Bakaleke said.
The incident is notably not the first football related acts of violence that have resulted to deaths in Uganda.
In September 2023, a 22-year-old man from Sheema District in Uganda was accused of killing an Arsenal fan following a disagreement over an EPL match between Arsenal and Man United.
According to the police, the deceased was killed moments after Arsenal’s victory against Man United.
The two football fanatics were engaged in an argument after Manchester United player Alejandro Garnacho’s goal was disqualified for offside.
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