Sixteen-year-old Leon Joshua Otim, a student at Exel High School in Mukono, Uganda. The circumstances surrounding his death have sparked confusion, with conflicting accounts from local media, social media users, and the police.
Some media outlets and social media posts initially linked Leon’s death to violence that occurred over the weekend in Gulu City during a campaign event by opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. Videos showing clashes between supporters and security personnel circulated widely, fueling speculation that the teenager had been caught up in the chaos. Many online users blamed police and military officers for his death, claiming he was a victim of brutality during the campaign.
Bobi Wine himself shared his condolences on social media, condemning the government. He wrote that Leon’s death resulted from attacks by police, military officers, and unidentified gangs who assaulted him and other supporters with sticks and machetes during the campaign in Gulu. In his post, Bobi Wine emphasized that the incident highlighted the ongoing complicity of state institutions and the Electoral Commission in undermining free and fair elections. He called for justice for the teenager and extended sympathies to his family.
However, the Uganda Police Force has disputed these claims, stating that Leon Joshua Otim’s death was not connected to any political violence. According to an official police statement, the incident occurred on December 6, 2025. Leon had left home around 5:00 PM to go into town, informing his mother of his plans. He did not return home that night, and the family waited until late without hearing from him. Early the next morning, around 5:00 AM, two boda boda riders found him and brought him home. He was badly beaten and unconscious.
Police reported that Leon was attacked by four juveniles who suspected him of stealing a mobile phone. They emphasized that efforts to apprehend the four suspects, who remain at large, are ongoing. “The truth is that Leon Joshua Otim succumbed to injuries inflicted by those who suspected him of theft,” the police statement read, stressing that the incident had no connection to campaign-related violence in Gulu City.
This tragedy has caused widespread shock and mourning among the community, especially as Leon had returned home for the school holidays. The conflicting reports between social media, media outlets, and official police statements have fueled public debate and concern about safety and misinformation.
While authorities continue their investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice, Leon’s death has reignited discussions about youth safety, accountability, and the responsibilities of media and social media users in verifying information before sharing it. Many Ugandans are calling for calm, thorough investigations, and justice for the teenager to prevent further rumors and public panic.
Saddened by the death of 16-year-old student Joshua Leon Otim, who has today succumbed to the extensive injuries he sustained last Saturday when police and military officers aided by gangs in plain clothes holding machetes and sticks attacked and flogged us and our supporters as… pic.twitter.com/EcrTKSPp4w
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 9, 2025
The death of 16-year-old Leon Joshua Otim remains a tragic incident surrounded by conflicting claims. While social media and some reports suggest involvement of campaign-related violence, the police insist that he was attacked by juveniles over a suspected theft. Authorities are actively investigating, and the public continues to seek answers and justice for the young student.