TWO Ugandan football fans have been charged with murder after a man was killed in Kampala following a fight over the result of an English FA Cup match between Manchester City and Arsenal, the BBC has reported.
A youth councillor died allegedly from stab wounds after he intervened in a fight after Arsenal lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the fourth round FA Cup clash at the Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Allan Kakumba was said to have died moments after being admitted to hospital the following day, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper.
Police said in a statement that two suspects were in custody.
“We shall be arraigning the suspects in court soon,” Luke Oweyesigire, the spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan Police, told the BBC.
Oweyesigire said the 25-year-old Kakumba had intervened when his brother Titus Kyendo, an Arsenal fan, was involved in a fight with Manchester City supporters.
The unfortunate incident occurred barely a week after an Arsenal fan was beaten to death in another Ugandan town.
Richard Ukuyo was reportedly hit on the back of the head with a club after an argument with a Manchester United fan following Arsenal’s 3-2 Premier League victory against the Red Devils.
Police said the deceased was a well-known Arsenal fan.
Also, a group of Arsenal fans were arrested for holding a parade after that match at the Emirates, although they were later released without charges.
European football, especially the English game, is widely popular across Africa, with millions of fans pledging allegiance to the various EPL clubs, mostly the big ones like Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
