Patrick Ngalamulume, a referee in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been lynched and buried alive by angry football fans.
According to reports from media outlets in DR Congo, Patrick Ngalamulume was killed after he was accused of theft on Monday, May 5, 2025.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the mob accused Patrick Ngalamulume without any evidence to back their claims and started beating him in broad daylight.
Severely beaten by the mob, Ngalamulume couldn’t run away from the scene and was subsequently set on fire by the angry mob.
His death has left the local football community and broader civil society in mourning.
“We have lost not just a referee, but a man who believed in fair play and justice,” said a senior official with EUFBUK. To think he was denied the very justice he upheld is heartbreaking.”
In a strongly worded statement, the Football Association condemned the killing:
“We are deeply saddened by the senseless and barbaric murder of Patrick Ngalamulume. We call on authorities to arrest all those involved and restore trust in the rule of law.”
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) also joined in expressing solidarity, adding: “Football must remain a sport that unites, not one that becomes entangled in the breakdown of law and order.”
