P.5 pupil commits suicide after being forced to go to school in Soroti

A primary five pupil of Awoja Bridge Primary School in Soroti district, eastern Uganda has allegedly committed suicide.

Julius Alou, 17, was found hanging on a mango tree on Thursday by residents of Awoja village, Aukot sub-county after going missing for days. It is reported that Alou had consistently refused to return to school since the term opened last month.

His widowed mother reportedly kept pleading with him to go back to school in vain and was forced to take the matter to the clan leaders.

“The clan leaders were called to discuss the matter of his education and in the discussion, they agreed that Alou should be taken back to school by Monday, March 5, 2024,” a statement from the East Kyoga regional police spokesman, Oscar Gregg Ageca reads in part.

Information in the village indicates that the boy was given two strokes for disobeying his mother. However, Alou remained home and the mother asked him to tether the animals in the nearby bush around 10:00 am.

“The information we have indicates that he went and never came back home. On Tuesday, March 6, 2024, the villagers were alerted of the disappearance of the boy. The search was conducted and the deceased was found hanging on a mango tree – dead with one of the ropes used for tying a cow on Thursday,” Ageca adds in a statement.

The matter was reported to Awoja police station vide SD Ref 17/06/03/2024 for investigations.