Business associates grilled over death of Indian

The fallout from the death by apparent suicide of a 30-year-old businessman of Indian descent has prompted the Police to grill his business associates in Kampala.

"I am committing suicide by my own wish, no one is responsible for it," read a small note thought to have been left behind by Siddharth Shyamsunder Sharma.

Sharma a hardware dealer operating on Nabugabo Road in downtown Kampala was found dead in the bathroom of Room 2204 at Fairway Hotel.

While addressing the press on Monday, Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said investigators were interviewing the deceased's associates to establish what prompted ‘suicide'.

According to Owoyesigyire, investigators will also review CCTV footage in a bid to establish whether any other person accessed Sharma's hotel room.

He, however, said that preliminary findings indicate that there was no sign of a struggle in the hotel room where the deceased was found.

Police findings indicate that Sharma who was living in Makerere Flats in Kawempe division, Kampala owned a hardware store alongside other Indians including Vikrant Sangir, 32, who is said to have reported the deceased's disappearance to the Police.

Sharma was found with several identification documents including an income tax ticket and driving permit all issued by the government of India and a Ugandan visa.

According to sources privy to the case, on August 8, Sharma left his place of work at around 10:30 am saying he was sick and that he was going to Norvik Hospital on Bombo Road for treatment but he instead went to Fairway Hotel where he checked in at 10:44 am.

Hotel records indicate Sharma was expected to check out the next day at 10:00 am but when he did not, one of the hotel workers accessed his room to check on him, only to find him hanging lifeless with a rope around his neck.

"The deceased cut a string off the hotel room's hammock and used it to hang himself. He is suspected to have had some food and drinks and smoked some cigarettes beforehand according to exhibits found in his room," said the source.

Police have since launched inquiries to establish whether somebody else could have been involved, examine if the note was written by him and what prompted him to take his life.