Revence Kibaliwani Kato was killed on Wednesday evening by an angry mob at Parliament Avenue after he was suspected of attempting arson on the Café Javas, Jinja Road premises.
Before his death, little was known about Kato, but the Makerere University graduate was a software developer with quite a reputation. From what the Bee has read indicates that he on the 26th of September in 2010 represented Uganda at a Mobile Monday Peer Awards in Finland where he received an award for his outstanding mobile software development skills.
Kato was a father, with a wife, and two children.
The circumstances surrounding his death are starting to emerge. Questions to interpret why he targeted the restaurant in the first place. It is unfortunate that when the management of Javas was contacted, they declined to comment, every worker including the security officials, claiming they were not on duty at the occurrence of the incidence.
“I had left work early that day, and the night shift guy was the one on duty,” says one of the guards.
However, one perpetual client of Javas products, Anita (not real name) was a clear observer who appears to have witnessed the folding of the events, and offered to tell her story, anonymously.
Kato was at the restaurant for the third time.
Fresh detail emerging shows that that the day of his decease was the third time Kato was at the restaurant.
Anita intimated to Campus Bee, that this was not the first time he was at the restaurant. She remembers that about week ago, she saw the deceased enter the restaurant, move towards the counter and make an order.
“From the look of things I noticed that he had ordered for a burger because I saw a waiter bring it to him with a fork” she says. The attacker according to her protested because the fork was plastic. He broke it to pieces, and asked for a steel fork which was not availed because the restaurant did not have it.
“He then asked for a drink and a glass to use” she adds. She then noticed Kato reject the glass he was given because it was plastic, which he also smashed with his hands.
On another day, she was at the restaurant she says, and noticed the same face enter the restaurant.
“He went to the counter and asked for pork” she remembers. She adds that it was obvious, that the management of the Javas being of Indian origin did not sell pork. Upon looking at the menu, this assertion was true. Kato became violent, abused the workers of the restaurant for not having his order.
After the scuffle, she noticed Kato place an envelope on a table.
“I did not notice where he got the envelope from.” She noticed him place an envelope on a table and moved out saying he was coming back. The contents of the letter in the envelope, according to Anita were not clear.
“I overheard the workers in the restaurant say the contents were hard to decipher. That the English was complicated.”
According to social media comments, the testimony of one of Kato’s close friends says that he was “unstable upstairs.”
The day of the “attempted arson”
The third time, was the unfortunate occurrence that led to Kato’s death. From what the Bee has gathered about that day is that he entered into the restaurant, went to the counter and said “I told you I was coming back, now am back.”
Anita was not at the restaurant this time. Richard (not real name) who was in the restaurant that day, said he saw Kato move and stand at a corner in the restaurant where he kept his hand on a device on his wrist, which he kept twisting and a bag beside him.
“It looked like a watch, (at least that was what I saw), it looked expensive” he said. He saw a waiter move to him and ask that he sits down, so his order could be taken. “He became tough.”
He says Kato became aggressive, and asked the waiter to back off, or else “he would start with him.” According to him, the waiter did not move.
He then remained playing with his device, and many in the restaurant became suspicious of him. He then noticed the people near him whisper discernible mumbles that he must be a terrorist.
Richard says he saw Kato open his bag and pull out a 5 litter jerrycan and a knife. He saw him pour out the contents, and they noticed from the smell that it was petrol. The crowd in the restaurant scrambled out of the restaurant in fear for their life while those that remained in the restaurant feared to engage him upto a point when he pulled out a cloth, that he placed on a table and lit it. The workers moved in on him, grabbed him while others rushed for the extinguisher to put the fire before it expanded. He let himself loose and moved out of the restaurant as if to climb onto his motorcycle. He pulled out a second knife, and threatened whoever came closer to him.
One boda boda guy says some of his colleagues in the area moved closer and grabbed him, while others screamed that he was a terrorist. His movements led him just near the Parliament Avenue road sign where he was beaten up, to his death. He was stoned and beaten by the angry mob. One individual from the crowd was seen make calls. It was about 3-4 minutes later that the police arrived, and rushed him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Café Javas responds.
Javas used its social media account on twitter where it released a statement about the attack. In the statement, the restaurant claimed to clear “the misunderstandings” about the attack.
“The incident involving a man walking into a restaurant to attempt arson did not take place in our Café Javas Jinja road branch former Mateos but rather, at Pizza Royale, former Nandos…” read the statement in part, to clear allegations from many media houses that the attack happened at Javas.
It is really interesting how Javas rejected having any involvement with Pizza Royale. When the management of the restaurant was contacted for a comment regarding the attack, they referred the Bee to their main branch.
“Go to our branch in Kamwokya, we cannot comment” said a manager at the restaurant referring to the Café Javas.
In retrospect to the attack, the restaurant has now beefed up their security, placed two guards at the only entrance in to restaurant who will make sure every entrant is checked thoroughly before entering into the restaurant.
Kato was laid to rest at Kalisizo on Saturday.
You must be logged in to post a comment.