Video-captured image of a huge crowd that gathered as a man is lynched for allegedly killing two women in Kapoeta South County. (Courtesy).

An official in Kapoeta South County of Eastern Equatoria State says a young man has died from injuries after being beaten by a mob on Tuesday.

The Mayor of Kapoeta Municipal Council Elia Lokuuda said the mob lynching of the 20-year-old man comes after two women (one pregnant) were murdered while another was wounded on Monday, July 31.

“After learning of that incident and seeing the dead bodies of the women, they singled out one person whom they suspected to have participated in the killing of the women,” Lokuuda narrated.

“This person ran after seeing the people trying to react on him and that mob went after that man and they were able to catch up with him and out of that anger, they started beating him.”

Grim footage shared on WhatsApp shows dozens of people participating in or witnessing the beating of the man identified as Lokolong, after he was accused of killing the women.

The unruly crowd watched in a circle as a handful of youths beat the suspect to an unconscious state. The victim was later rescued by security forces and rushed to the hospital.

Mayor Lokuuda said Lokolong died as a result of his injuries.

“When we heard of that information, we were able to rush the person you are seeing in the video, we were able to rush him to the hospital for medical attention so that his life can be saved.”

“But unfortunately, he succumbed and now the doctors informed us that they could not manage, and he succumbed to the injuries that were inflicted on him by that big crowd.”

The mayor said the killing is likely a mistake, adding that preliminary information has shown that Lokolong is not even among the listed suspects in the woman’s murder.

He urges the people of Greater Kapoeta not to take the law into their own hands.