A pall of sorrow hangs over the Democratic Republic of Congo following the brutal lynching of football referee Patrick Ngalamulume in Bukavu, South Kivu Province. The 36-year-old, known affectionately as “Ngalas,” was accused of theft—a claim yet to be verified—before being beaten and set ablaze by an enraged mob between the night of 5 and 6 May.
Eyewitnesses report that the attack unfolded in full view of the public, with no intervention from law enforcement or emergency services. Affiliated with the Bukavu Urban Football Association (EUFBUK), Ngalamulume had no criminal record and was widely respected for his professionalism and integrity on the pitch.
His death has triggered widespread condemnation from the local football community, civil society, and regional sports authorities. “We have lost more than a referee—we have lost a symbol of fairness in a society increasingly bereft of it,” an EUFBUK official lamented. Both the national Football Association and the Football Kenya Federation have issued strong statements calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and for efforts to restore confidence in the rule of law. Civil society groups have also called for an independent investigation and immediate action to curb the rise in mob violence.
Ngalamulume’s killing highlights the deepening crisis in eastern Congo, where a fragile security environment and the weakening of state institutions have created fertile ground for vigilante justice. As calls grow louder for accountability and reform, Ngalamulume’s tragic death stands as a sombre testament to the consequences of lawlessness—and a rallying cry for the restoration of justice in the heart of a broken system.