Norwegian’s suspected suicide turns out to be a murder case
Robert Hausvik. PHOTO/COURTESY OF ROBERT HAUSIK’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
What you need to know:
Detectives did not believe accounts of two suspects who reportedly were with the deceased in his final moments. The duo told police the foreign national died by suicide
When Robert Hausvik, 39,a Norwegian national, was brought to a medical facility in Jinja City, those who brought him told the health workers that he had been found hanging in a room in the house where he was staying on March 10.
Health workers at Mivule Crescent Medical Centre examined Hausvik, but they found out that he had already died and they broke the bad news to rescuers, who happened to be known to him.
As it is a procedure, the medical team informed the police that they had received a dead body, prompting the detectives to visit the facility.
Ms Sheillah Nabatanzi, a girlfriend of Hausvik, and Mr Ali Kigozi, a friend of the deceased, allegedly told the police that they found him when he had hanged himself in a rooms after quarrelling with his partner before each went to separate rooms to sleep. The police did not believe them.
‘Foul play’
The Kiira Police Region spokesman, Mr James Mubi, said detectives examined the body and the room where Ms Nabatanzi and Mr Kigozi claimed the deceased hanged himself only to find evidence of foul play.
“We found out that the deceased had been murdered by strangulation. Three suspects were involved in his killing. Nabatanzi and Kigozi have since been arrested on charges of murder, and they have been remanded to prison. We are searching for one Zam Zam, the girlfriend of Kigozi, who was also involved in the murder,” Mr Mubi said yesterday.
It is alleged that on March 9, this year, Hausvik, popularly known as Katongole, had a dispute with his girlfriend, but they hung out together at Bourbob Bar and Lounge in Jinja City.
They later proceeded to their home in Walukuba West, Block C, Maternity Cell in Jinja Southern Division, Jinja City.
Statements of the suspects recorded later indicated that the lovebirds continued with the quarrel at home.
According to statements at the police, Ms Nabatanzi said she slept in the bedroom while the deceased retired into the sitting room due to their dispute.
Mr Kigozi and his girlfriend Zam Zam reportedly slept in a third room.
Ms Nabatanzi and Mr Kigozi said they found Hausvik in the morning when he had hanged himself with his trousers.
Mr Mubi said preliminary investigations at the Walukuba scene indicated probable and questionable suicide.
“Against that background, Dr Monday Johnson Agaba, the regional CID officer, ordered thorough prosecution-guided investigations surrounding the death of the Norwegian national,” he said.
Dr Agaba was formerly the head of the homicide department at the CID headquarters at Kibuli, Kampala for 10 years.
Medical examination
The deceased’s body was taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital mortuary where it was examined by two senior pathologists: Dr Moses Byaruhanga, the Uganda Police Force director of medical services, and Dr Moses Ambayo, who certified the cause of death as murder by strangulation.
Mr Mubi said further investigations revealed that the suicide incident was staged.
“The Resident Senior State Attorney (RSSA) sanctioned the file and on Friday, March 21, the two suspects were taken to Jinja Magistrate’s Court and remanded to Kirinya prisons until March 31 when they will appear for mention,” he said.
Mr Mubi said the police are looking for Zam Zam, who is currently in hiding.
The police have yet to establish the motive of the murder.
Dr Agaba cautioned the public against taking the law into their own hands.
KEY STATISTICS
Murder cases are on the rise in the country. Last year, 4,329 homicide cases were registered by the police, which was a two percent increase compared to cases of 2023. Murders by strangulation increased by 15 percent last year from 414 cases in 2023 to 491 incidents in 2024. Meanwhile, suicide cases are high in the country, but the police share no statistics. They no longer record them in the criminal record books because they aren’t considered criminal offences.
