by Peter Orengo
The mother of a 22-year-old Ugandan student who died in China on Thursday has said she had been communicating with him daily and he would have told her if he was troubled.
Shafiq Mbogo, a fourth year private student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Business and Trade at Shenyang University in Shenyang City, the capital of Liaoning Province was found dead outside his hostel of residence on Thursday (February 27, 2020) at about 2pm.
“Initial information indicated that Mbogo had died after he fell off from the balcony of his hostel. The embassy has contacted the school administration and the Public Security Bureau who confirmed the death and informed that investigations are underway before they can formally communicate to the embassy about the actual cause of death. They however, informed that initial investigations ruled out homicide,” said a statement issued by the acting ambassador to China, Mr Philip Kanyoonzi.
However, Mbogo’s mother, Ms Dorothy Wagalinda said her son had no reason to kill himself and demanded for a thorough investigation before the body is returned to Uganda for burial.
“Yes he is dead but the story you saw is not true. My son never committed suicide and he was not at the balcony as it is stated in the report. He didn’t have reason to kill himself because I was talking to him every day. He was my best friend. At least he would have told me if he had a problem disturbing him,” Ms Wagalinda who lives in the United Kingdom told this reporter in a WhatsApp chat on Friday.
Ms Wagalinda further said she had talked to Mbogo the day he was announced dead.
“I had just talked to him,” she said.
Mbogo’s brother, Isaac Newton also told this reporter that he suspected foul play in his brother’s death.
“Shafiq was not sleeping on the fourth floor where they said he died from. How does someone fall down, and he does not sustain any fracture? Even his hood was intact. I think Shafiq was killed. I had been talking to him. He didn’t show any signs of frustration. I last talked to him on Wednesday when he asked me to send him money to renew his visa, only to wake up yesterday to the sad news that he had died,” he said.
However, Mr Kanyoonzi said the school had already communicated to Ms Wagalinda about the death and her desire was to have a proper report about the cause of death and have the body returned for a decent burial.