Judiciary deputy registrar disputes suicide claims over daughter’s death

KAMPALA - When the news broke of the tragic death of 24-year-old Thelma Abonyo Hatanga, a brilliant international medical student specialising in anthropology at a university in Italy, social media quickly circulated reports claiming she had died by suicide.

The narrative suggested that Abonyo had jumped from the top of a building, allegedly leaving behind a note. However, none of these claims were confirmed or shared during her funeral service held at All Saints Cathedral in Nakasero on Tuesday.

Now, her grieving parents, Juliet Harty Hatanga, a registrar at the High Court's International Crimes Division, and Dr. Peter Ogwang, are disputing the suicide story reported after her death early last month. They insist the Italian authorities may be withholding critical information about their daughter’s mysterious death.

“My child's death hurts so bad,” said  Hatanga as she addressed mourners. Her eyes, hidden behind a pair of eyeglasses, were filled with pain. Her hands trembled. Eventually, she broke down in tears.

The deputy registrar of the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Uganda, Juliet Harty Haitanga (C) being comforted by relatives and friends after a funeral service of her daughter, late Thelma Abongo Haitanga, at All Saint Cathedral, Nakasero in Kampala on August 5 2025. (All photos by Ronnie Kijjambu)

Hatanga, mourning her firstborn, vowed to pursue justice to the very end, even if it meant walking barefoot to the truth.

“I will die trying to find the real cause of my daughter’s death,” she declared. “Some people have found space to fabricate stories, but authorities are doing their work.”

Noting that her daughter was not the first international student to die under suspicious circumstances in Italy, she added, “there are many cases that have gone silent or ignored. But I will leave no stone unturned. Your justice must come to life.”

In a statement issued on August 4, Hatanga rejected the narrative presented by Milan authorities, who ruled her daughter’s death a suicide resulting from mental health struggles.

According to Italian police, Thelma allegedly jumped from the ninth floor of her apartment on Via Angelo Fumagali 7. But Hatanga insisted the evidence does not support that claim.

The deputy registrar of the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Uganda, Juliet Harty Haitanga (C) being comforted by relatives and friends after a funeral service of her daughter, late Thelma Abongo Haitanga, at All Saint Cathedral, Nakasero in Kampala on August 5 2025.

“There are multiple indicators that contradict the suicide hypothesis,” she said. “Her body was found just 1.5 feet from the wall, lying on her left side. That’s not consistent with a free fall from nine floors up.”

She also questioned the condition of her daughter’s body.

“There was no major trauma, no blood splatter, no brain matter at the impact site,” she explained.

“One earphone was still in her ear, and the other was three meters away. This suggests a possible struggle or staging.”

Hatanga also cited discrepancies in the accounts given by police and the building custodian. One officer allegedly told her that Abonyo had a deep cut on one of her hands, which authorities interpreted as a sign of suicide. But to her, the account only raises further questions.

Dr. Ogwang,  also expressed doubt about the suicide explanation for his daughter's death. He believes the real truth will come from Thelma’s peers and close friends. “She had her own ways, very unique, and so her death remains inexplicable,” he said.

He condemned what he described as the misinformation being spread on social media, saying it has only worsened their pain and caused unnecessary confusion. “We are still looking for answers, and we shall rely on the structures of government to find them,” Ogwang added.

Uganda's Chief Justice Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo (second right) talks to the father of the late Thelma Abongo Haitanga, who died in Italy, Peter Owang, after a funeral service at All Saint Cathedral Nakasero, Kampala.

More voices calling for justice

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao, who also heads the Democratic Party (DP),  pledged that the Government of Uganda would stand with the bereaved family and demand answers.

“Uganda has a duty to support you,” Mao said. “We shall hold the Italian government accountable. The truth and justice will be revealed.”

Mao mourned the loss of a young life full of promise. “Here lies a doctor Uganda will never have,” he said.

 Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo shared similar frustrations about the premature death of the young.

“Young people are supposed to bury the old, not the other way around,” he said. “Why should I bury my child? They are the ones meant to carry our flag forward.”

Richard Olet Pule, chairperson of the Lango community in Kampala, Jinja, and Entebbe, urged the family not to relent in seeking the truth. He called on the Italian government to speak out and help clear the growing cloud of speculation, while Rev. Canon Johnson Ebong, who led the funeral service, warned the public against spreading unverified information.

“It could cause unnecessary tension between our two nations,” he warned.
Abonyo’s close friend, Ayaa Suzie, described her as a bright and compassionate person. 
 

Who was Abonyo

Born on January 7, 1999, Abonyo was the firstborn of Dr. Peter L. Ogwang and  Juliet Harty Hatanga.

She attended Aga Khan Primary School, Taibah International School, Gayaza High School, and Uganda Martyrs SS Namugongo, excelling in the sciences.

Her academic journey led her to Humanitas University in Milan, Italy, where she was studying medicine at the time of her death on June 30, 2025.

She was a talented linguist, fluent in Italian and French, and held a Grade 5 certificate in piano from ABRSM.

She had diverse interests, from pathology and cosmetology to robotics and IT, and even won the 2015 iLabs@MAK inter-regional buzzer round.

Her hobbies included netball, horse riding, singing, cooking, traditional dance, and volunteering.

She was an active member of the Lango Development Forum, and a proud ambassador of “Over the Moon Project,” a nonprofit founded by her mother to fight menstrual absenteeism in Northern Uganda’s rural schools.