Vipers star Lawal died of blunt force trauma – police

Blunt force trauma is an injury caused by a forceful impact with a blunt object or surface, resulting in injuries like bruises, abrasions, lacerations, and fractures without skin penetration.

Dr Sylvester Onzivua, a forensic pathologist, explained that a blunt force trauma means the body had many injuries caused by a blunt object.

Lawal allegedly fell from a third-floor balcony at Voice Mall Hotel in Bwebajja off Entebbe Road in Wakiso District, where he had reportedly gone to visit a female guest, on February 24.

On the fateful day, the footballer reportedly showed up at the hotel and visited a room on the third floor occupied by a Tanzanian female national identified as Omary Naima, who was reportedly staying in Room 416.

Oddly, it is said another unidentified male visitor arrived and inquired whether Ms Naima was in her room. The receptionist is then said to have contacted their client through a room extension service landline, informing her of a visitor who had come to check on her.

It is at this point that an interesting turn of events emerged. The first was that upon learning of another male visitor, Ms Naima asked Lawal to find a quick exit from the room, and he allegedly jumped off the fourth floor of the building.

But there remained queries as to what could have pushed Lawal to jump off through the window without anyone pursuing him, given that the visitor was still at the reception.

Detectives that this newspaper spoke to said when they received the information about the incident, they drove to the hotel and cordoned it off as a scene of crime in order to collect clues and evidence to support their investigation.

The police officers said they took seven staff of the hotel, including the manager, security guards, receptionists, cleaners and one external CCTV operator, to record statements in a bid to help with investigations into the case.

Police arrested Naima from the crime scene and opened up a death inquiry file at Kajjansi Police Station.

However, Mr Onyango said after 10 days in custody, Naima, the prime suspect, was released on police bond following advice from the State Attorney. The State Attorney at Kajjansi Magistrates Court advised that police should attach a forensic report and the suspect be given police bond as investigations continue.

“A death inquiry file is still open, the suspect was given police bond as we wait for the forensic report,” Mr Onyango said in a telephone interview yesterday.

A forensic report is crucial for establishing facts, linking suspects to the crime scene, and determining the cause and manner of death.