The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | URN | The body of a Kyambogo University student who went missing last week has been found at City Mortuary in Mulago, leaving the university community in mourning and raising fresh concerns over the safety of students living off campus. The body of Okia Aaron, a third-year Bachelor of Business Administration student, was found at City Mortuary in Mulago on Monday, six days after he disappeared.
One of his university classmates, George Okasio, told Uganda Radio Network (URN) that the deceased, who was also a resident of Bweyogerere, was attacked in the early hours of Thursday last week while on his way to work. Okasio said the deceased was accosted by a group of thugs who hit him with an object suspected to be a paver and left him for dead. He said Aaron was on his way to work when he was hit on the head with a paver at around 5:00 a.m. and left unresponsive.
Since his disappearance, family members and colleagues had been searching for him without success after he left his phones at home on the fateful morning. Passersby found him and rushed him to a nearby health facility, but he succumbed to the head injury on arrival. The health facility notified police, who later transferred his body to City Mortuary in Mulago.
His family is expected to collect the body for burial in Pallisa District. “He was staying with another student in Bweyogerere. On that morning, he left for work but left his phone at home because he said people in that area usually snatch phones,” Okasio said.
He added: “We believe he was killed for his phone and money. When the family started looking for him, they contacted us, his campus colleagues. That is how we put out the missing person alert. After it circulated, a doctor from the facility where he was first treated called us and said the body had been taken to City Mortuary,” Okasio said.
His colleagues, led by Hill Mutungi, described him as humble, sociable and friendly to everyone. “It is heartbreaking to lose a young man with such a bright future. He was jolly, friendly, and of great character. We are calling on the police to do their job and bring the criminals behind this evil act to justice,” said Mutungi.
Uganda Police Force in Kampala Metropolitan and Kyambogo University officials said investigations into the death are ongoing, and that a statement will be issued in due course. Okia’s death brings to four the number of Kyambogo University students who have died in less than four months under tragic circumstances, including hostel room deaths, fatal fires in rental units and suspected homicides.
His death comes just over a month after Juma Bumba, a first-year, second-semester student pursuing procurement and Logistics Management, was set ablaze in his hostel room on June 6 this year. Bumba’s death followed another tragic incident involving Brighton Kamugisha, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Design and Textiles.
His death was attributed to hypertrophic heart disease. Over the years, police investigations into the continued deaths of university students in halls of residence and off campus have cited underlying medical conditions, fatal road crashes, electrocutions, mental health struggles and violence.
