Kitgum-based event comedian Bonny Awula, popularly known by his stage name Lady Sonia, has died after a long struggle with injuries he allegedly sustained from a police beating earlier this year.
Awula passed away on Friday, November 1, 2025, at Lira regional referral hospital, where he had been admitted for months as his condition deteriorated. A resident of Ojungu Cell, Akia Ward, Lira East Division, Sonia’s troubles reportedly began on July 15, 2025, following an altercation with a police officer at Gates Bar in Kitgum Municipality.
Speaking to this reporter weeks before his death while bedridden at Lira hospital, Sonia painfully recalled the events that changed his life.
“A man came and slapped me from behind. When I turned, I held his neck, not knowing he was a police CID officer,” he said.
“He started pushing me out with force while beating me on my back with a metallic baton, even though I had committed no offence. Later, he arrested me and took me to a cell, where I spent five days after all my joints were beaten.”
The assault, he said, left his right arm swollen and paralyzed. “They need money to take me to the theatre for surgery, but I cannot afford the costs or buy the medicine the doctors instructed me to get,” he said at the time.
Sonia was transferred to Lira hospital from Kitgum on August 5, 2025, after doctors concluded that his injuries required specialised care. His mother and sister later joined him to provide support as his condition worsened.
His sister, Molly Akello, said before his passing that the family had lost hope as his health rapidly declined.
“The condition of my brother was very bad. He was in great pain following the torture by the police officer. Parts of his arm were slowly rotting due to the injuries. He was due for surgery, but it may have been too late,” she said.
According to Benson Mwaka, a human rights defender with the Human Rights Center Uganda in Kitgum, Sonia’s case was marred by irregularities.
The details on Sonia’s police bond were scanty and only marked as ‘State bond.’ The case is tricky, but once Sonia recovered, he was to be accompanied by a team from the Uganda Human Rights Commission to pursue justice, Mwaka explained.
Unfortunately, Sonia never recovered. When contacted, Aswa East police spokesperson, IP Joe Oloya, initially declined to comment.
“I have nothing to say on that since there is no report made. I don’t want blame games here,” he said, later adding via WhatsApp that, “It’s a matter of fact, and with evidence, everything will be handled because no one is above the law.”
Wilson Okwonga, vice chairperson of Central Division in Kitgum Municipality, confirmed that the division’s security committee had received information about the alleged torture and would issue a statement after preliminary findings.
Sonia’s family has appealed for justice, urging authorities to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
“We are calling on law enforcement and relevant authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into what happened,” Akello said. “We want those responsible for his assault held accountable. No one should be above the law.”
Lady Sonia, known for his comic performances at community events in Kitgum and Lira, had over the years become a beloved entertainer in northern Uganda. His death has sparked grief and renewed calls for accountability over cases of alleged police brutality.
