Police in Butaleja District are investigating the suspected suicide of a 21-year-old student found hanging on a tree in Busaba Sub-county.
The deceased has been identified as Opendi Donato, also known as Junior, a Senior Three student at Alliance High School Busolwe and a resident of Nagondo B Village, Mulagi Parish.
Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson, IP Johnson Moses Mugwe, said the incident occurred in Nagondo B Village on the morning of the discovery.
The matter was reported by LC1 Chairperson Muduwu Peter after residents found the body at around 6:00am.
‘It is alleged that one resident who was going to the garden found the deceased hanging on a tree within the village. He informed relatives and the LC1 chairperson, who later reported the matter to Police,’ Mr. Mugwe said.
Busaba Police Station registered a case of suspected suicide by hanging. A team led by the Officer in Charge of Butaleja Police Station, along with Scene of Crime Officers and homicide detectives, visited and documented the scene.
Officers recovered exhibits including a rope, a suicide note, and the deceased’s Primary Leaving Examination results slip. Statements from relevant witnesses were also recorded.
The body was taken to Mbale City Mortuary for postmortem examination as investigations continue.
Police appealed to members of the public to seek guidance and support whenever faced with challenges in life instead of resorting to taking their own lives. The force also conveyed condolences to the bereaved family.
According to the Annual Crime Report 2025, suicide cases were attributed to complex psychological, social, and environmental factors such as mental illness, trauma, and extreme stress. Police described suicide as self-directed injurious behaviour carried out with the intention to die.
A total of 258 suicide cases were registered by Police across the country. The highest number was recorded in the West Nile Region with 27 cases, followed by Masaka East with 18 cases, and Kampala Metropolitan Police East with 15. Aswa East and Busoga North registered 13 cases each.
In Bukedi South Region, where Butaleja District falls, Police recorded 10 suicide cases in 2024 compared to seven cases in 2025.