Police in Kampala have taken up investigations into a reported assault after a video showing a man punching a boy on a residential street circulated widely on social media.
The footage, shared by journalist Sudhir Byaruhanga, shows a confrontation involving a man and a boy on an unpaved road. The video has prompted calls for police to identify those involved and establish what led to the confrontation.
Byaruhanga said in a post on X that he had received information that the incident occurred in Kampala, near Kibuli Mosque, and asked Uganda Police to verify the location and apprehend those involved.
The exact identities of the man and the boy, however, had not been publicly established at the time of reporting.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Kawala Racheal, responding to the post, said police at Kabalagala Police Station had taken up the matter.
“Police at Kabalagala have taken up the matter, and efforts are underway to apprehend the suspects and ensure that they are brought to justice in accordance with the law,” Kawala said.
The video has generated widespread reaction online, with viewers expressing concern over the apparent assault and calling for the incident to be investigated.
The circumstances that preceded the confrontation remain unclear. It is also not yet established whether the people shown in the video are known to one another or whether the incident was reported to police before the footage circulated online.
Police have in previous cases used information supplied by members of the public and social-media footage to identify and investigate people captured in alleged acts of violence.
For now, police investigations are expected to establish the identities of those involved, what triggered the confrontation and whether any criminal offence was committed.
The allegations have not been tested in court. Any suspect arrested in connection with the incident is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
