KIU student found dead in hostel bathroom in suspected suicide

Bushenyi, (UG):- The Police in Greater Bushenyi are investigating circumstances under which an engineering student in his first year at Kampala International University (KIU) – Bushenyi campus hanged himself to death in a suicide act over the weekend.

The heinous incident which left the university administration and fellow students puzzled happened Sunday, 25th February at Cell D, Ishaka Division in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality.

The Spokesperson of the Greater Bushenyi Regional Police, Mr Marcial Tumusiime identified the deceased as Opirin Boniface, a student at KIU, School of Engineering in year one semester one who has been renting a hostel room at Kamukama Estates Hostels from where he committed the suicide act in one of the facility’s bathrooms.

According to the police statement issued by Mr Tumusiime, it is reported that on Sunday at around 12.30 PM, a fellow student staying at the same hostel with the deceased went to pour dirty water in the bathroom when he found him hanging dead.

“This student immediately alerted other students around before making an alarm that attracted the hostel manager who informed the owner and reported the matter to Ishaka police station,” said Mr Tumusiime.

Police preliminary findings indicate that the deceased also had two packets of rat poison in the bag found inside his room.

“The deceased was found hanging on the rope inside the shared bathroom and had no visible external injuries except the rope mark around the neck,” Mr Tumusiime said.

Ms Jolly Kamukama, a businesswoman in Ishaka Division eulogized the deceased who he described as one of the most disciplined students they had around.

“I have never had any issue with the deceased ever since he came in. I don’t know what could have happened to force him to commit suicide, but I hope police will come to the bottom of the matter,” she said.

By press time on Monday morning, Opirin’s body was whisked away at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital in Ishaka for postmortem as police investigate the suspected cause of the suicide act.