Police probe Vipers player’s death after arcade fall

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Police are investigating the tragic death of Nigerian footballer Abubakar Lawal, who fell from the third floor of Voicemall Shopping Arcade on February 24, 2024. 

The 27-year-old, a professional player for Vipers Sports Club, was discovered in the early hours of the morning, after arriving at the mall to meet a friend.

Luke Owoyesigyire, deputy public relations officer for Kampala Metropolitan Police, said preliminary reports indicated that Lawal had arrived in his vehicle, registration number UBQ 695G, to visit his friend, Omary Naima, a Tanzanian national staying at the mall.

Naima, who had left Lawal in the room to prepare tea, later returned to find her friend had fallen from the balcony. Lawal was rushed to Entebbe Referral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after the fall.

Items belonging to the deceased, including two smartphones, shoes, headsets, and a training kit, were recovered from his black backpack. 

Authorities are retrieving CCTV footage and conducting interviews as part of their investigation into the incident.

Further updates will be shared as the investigation continues, Owoyesigyire said.