Two men in Uganda are facing a murder trial after a man was killed during an argument between football fans at the end of last weekend’s FA Cup fourth-round tie between Manchester City and Arsenal.
Allan Kakumba, a youth councillor, died from stab wounds after intervening in a fight involving his brother, with police confirming in a statement that the suspects will be arraigned in court soon.
A Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman said that Mr Kakumba, 25, had stepped in after his brother, an Arsenal fan, fought with two City supporters. He died after being admitted to hospital the following morning, local newspaper the Daily Monitor said.
“Two suspects, Eddie Ssemakula and David Abigaba, are now in police custody as investigations continue. We have also recovered the alleged murder weapon [a knife] that has also been exhibited,” the Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said.
Last week an Arsenal fan was killed in Adjumani, West Nile, after being struck in the back of the head by a Manchester United supporter. Police said that Richard Ukuyo was hit with a club because of an argument over Eddie Nketiah’s late winning goal for the Premier League leaders.
Meanwhile in the city of Jinja, eight Arsenal fans were arrested after the United game because they staged a parade to celebrate the win. Police bizarrely claimed that they were not actual fans but agitators with ulterior motives.
Video footage posted online showed fans driving down a street on motorbikes and in cars with many wearing replica kits and one lifting a trophy.
“We asked for the name of the Arsenal coach, the number of premier league teams, number of games Arsenal has so far played, number of wins and losses Arsenal has registered this season and the top-four teams but there was no answer,” local police spokesman James Mubi said in quotes widely published by Ugandan media.
He added: “They don’t know anything about Arsenal. That’s why our issue wasn’t about them being Arsenal supporters.”
But the police reaction drew criticism from high-profile former police general Asan Kasingye, who is an Arsenal supporter, to make the incident national news.
“If I was in Jinja, most likely, I would have been arrested along with them. Whoever did it, lacked common sense required of [officers],” Kasingye said.
