By Elisha Magolanga, The Citizen Correspondent, Dar es Salaam.
A
first-year University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) student has committed
suicide by hanging himself with his shirt in a guest house in the city.
Kinondoni
Regional Police Commander Charles Kenyela told The Citizen yesterday
that Joseph Lugemalila, 21, killed himself at Rombo Guest House in
Manzese last Saturday, just six days after reporting at the university.
He
said Lugemalila, who hailed from Ukerewe District, Mwanza Region, had
on Friday checked into the guest house, where he registered himself as
Dickson John.
Police found in the room an envelope containing a
suicide note, medical documents, school certificates, identity cards and
various other documents.
According to Mr Kenyela, Lugemalila
said in the suicide note dated October 12: “I have decided to end my
life because of a number of difficulties. I won’t succeed even if I
decide to continue with my studies.”
One of the documents found
in the room showed that Lugemalila underwent a medical examination at
the UDSM Dispensary on October 7, and the next day he received results
showing that he was HIV-positive.
“It’s possible he killed
himself because of shock and a sense of hopelessness after he was
diagnosed with HIV… a preliminary investigation has established that he
killed himself on Saturday night and the body was discovered the
following morning,” Mr Kenyela said.
UDSM
spokesperson Jackson Isidory confirmed that Lugemalila was a student at
the university, but declined to give details and referred this reporter
to the police.
The student’s father, Mr Pastory Lugemalila, who
had travelled to Dar es Salaam to collect the body, said: “My son called
me about a week before his death, and told me that he was fine and
happy to get accommodation at the main campus. His sudden death has
shocked me.”
The body was flown to Mwanza yesterday for burial in Ukerewe tomorrow.
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