Suicide cases reportedly rise in Northern province

Police in Northern Province have expressed concern over the rising number of suspected suicide cases after a 19-year-old man of Chisanga Village under Chief Mwamba in Kasama District reportedly took his own life, bringing the number of such cases recorded in the province to 38 between May 2025 and May 2026. The incident was reported to Kasama Central Police Station on May 31, 2026, at around 09:00 hours by Josephine Kamanga, 38, of Chisanga Village. She informed police that her son, Bright Chisanga, 19, had been found dead in his bedroom.

According to preliminary investigations, the deceased returned home on the evening of May 30, 2026, before retiring to his room. The following morning, family members found him unresponsive and immediately alerted police. Northern Province Police Commanding Officer, Simunji Mulonda, said investigations indicate that the deceased died by suicide after hanging himself from a roofing pole inside his room using a long-sleeved T-shirt.

“Brief facts of the matter are that on May 30, 2026 at around 07:00hrs the deceased left home after having breakfast and only returned around 18:00hrs in a drunken state,” he said. Mulonda said the deceased did not appear upset and had not quarrelled with anyone either before leaving home or upon his return. He shared supper with family members before retiring to his bedroom for the night.

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Unfortunately, the following morning, his mother found him hanging from a roofing pole inside the room. A team of police officers visited the scene and confirmed the report. Mulonda said a physical inspection of the body revealed a protruding tongue, faecal matter inside the trousers, a V-shaped mark behind the neck, and visible ligature marks around the neck, suggesting death by suicide.

He added that the family suspected no foul play and had been advised to proceed with burial arrangements while police opened an inquiry file. “Northern Division Command wishes to express deep concern over the increasing number of suspected suicide cases being recorded across the province. Since May 2025, Northern Province has recorded 38 suspected suicide cases, a trend that calls for collective action from families, community leaders, religious institutions, schools, health practitioners, and society at large,” he said. Mulonda noted that the loss of any life was tragic, particularly when it involved young people with promising futures ahead of them.

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