The police in Jinja City Northern Division are investigating circumstances under which Yafesi Kalibala, a 32-year-old resident of Kitovu Cell in Mafubira Ward committed suicide.
It is alleged that Kalibala lost his life due to accumulated rental fees. Kalibala reportedly took his own life by hanging himself with a waist belt after being unable to settle three months' rent amounting to Shillings 75,000.
The landlord and concerned neighbors discovered his body when Kalibala failed to respond to their calls and messages. Financial difficulties plagued Kalibala, a former student at Kitovu Vocational Institute, as he struggled to pay tuition fees for two semesters.
To make ends meet, he resorted to odd jobs, but his situation worsened when his employer decided to sell off the two-acre tomato farm where Kalibala worked.
The loss of his employment, along with the daily wages and meals he received from the farm, exacerbated his financial distress. The landlord, who anticipated Kalibala's payment, expressed shock and disappointment at the tragic turn of events.
Neighbors revealed that Kalibala had been battling depression due to his financial struggles and had isolated himself in his house. Without a stable income, he relied on the kindness of well-wishers in the neighborhood for his basic needs.
Local authorities had been actively mediating between Kalibala and his landlord in the hopes of finding a resolution to the unpaid rent issue. The police are conducting an investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding Kalibala's untimely death.
James Mubi, the spokesperson for Kiira Region Police, encouraged individuals facing challenging situations to seek support from their relatives, clergy, or local leaders, emphasizing the importance of seeking assistance to cope with life's difficulties and avoid succumbing to desperation.
Kalibala's body was handed over to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination before being released to his family for burial arrangements.
