Police of Kyazanga in Lwengo district have kicked off investigations into circumstances under which a nine year old pupil committed suicide after being detained by the schools for failure to pay fees balance.
Joel Ojuma, a pupil at COLOH Chidren’s Foundation and a resident of Byuma Zone in Kyazanga town council in Lwengo district was found hanging .
According to police, as COLOH Children’s Foundation closed for holidays on Friday November 24, it detained some of the pupils who had not completed fees.
“We established that the sister to the now deceased called Alinda Kasifa was sent to pick Ojuma Joel from school but the bursar refused her from taking him minus paying ,hence the now deceased slept at school with another boy child Lwanga Allan,” said police.
It is said that on November 25, Lwanga was picked by his parents and the school remained with only two pupils a boy Joel Ojuma and a girl identified as Ramula Namugga who were detained in separate dormitories.
“At about 12 o’clock, the cook sent the girl Ramula Namugga to take food to Ojuma in the dormitory who found him dead while hanging on a rope,” said police.
The girl alerted the teacher who confirmed and informed the director who reported to police where a case of suicide by hanging was registered vide KZG/293/2023.
The scene of crime officers visited the school where they found a body hanging in a rope tied on a three metallic bed inside the boys dormitory.
Police arrested the school director and some administrators of the school for allegedly causing frustration to the pupil which led to suicide.
The three suspects in custody are Chris Matovu, the director, Julius Sekatawa, head teacher and school bursar Muzafaru Kagend to help in investigations.
