Police in Luwero, working with Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) private investigators on Friday arrested three suspects for unauthorised possession of Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examination papers.

The other suspects are Zawadi Bwambale, the Deputy Headteacher of Midland High School, Luwero campus, and Herbert Woopo, the Director of Studies at Midland High School, Buntaba, Mukono campus.

According to Jennifer Kalule the UNEB spokesperson, the three suspects, still in police custody include a chief invigilator identified as Dalton Denis Lubega, a teacher of Midland High School Luwero who was deployed at Goshen Secondary School, Victoria Model, and Sharma S.S. in Luwero, on different days.

“While on duty as a chief invigilator, he would issue papers to the candidates, and then photograph one of the papers and share the image with his deputy teacher of Midland High School, Luwero Campus, identified as Zawadi Bwambale. The same was shared with the Director of Studies of Midland High School, Buntaba, Mukono Campus, a one Herbert Woopo,” said Kalule.

She noted that the police are pursuing others, still at large, but believed to have been part of the racket for electronic sharing. Specifically, Kalule said, they shared Commerce and Entrepreneurship papers.
“The trio will appear in court to answer to charges of unauthorised possession of examination materials, aiding and abetting malpractice, and appearing in the examination room with electronic gadgets with intent, to disrupt the conduct of an examination. They will be charged under sections 25 and 30, of the UNEB Act 2021,” said Kalule while addressing a joint press briefing at police headquarters in Nagulu, Kampala on Monday.

In a related development, one suspect is detained at Kampala Metropolitan Police, with respect to the electronic sharing of fake PLE papers.

The suspect Tom Okwenyi, a former teacher, but currently said to be working with a multi-national Agency, is said to have formed a social media platform called ‘Elite SST Senior Examiners, where he shared the fake papers, with over 1,500 members of the group. The fake papers are code-named Fertilizers.

Kalule said their security teams are also tracking another group said to be sharing another set of fake PLE papers code names ‘beans’.

“The Board would like to strongly caution parents and teachers to desist from being part of these criminal social media platforms/ rackets or any other group that may be involved in acts aimed at aiding and abetting malpractice. Do NOT participate in any way, in the electronic sharing of any such fake content purported to be UNEB papers. Parents, do NOT pay any money, alleged to be UNEB facilitation. In so doing, you are aiding and abetting malpractice, and destroying the destinies of your children,” warned the UNEB spokesperson.

She added that they are also closely monitoring all online media platforms for anyone who may be vending purported UNEB Examination papers.
“We continue to caution the public against sharing or forwarding any content said to be UNEB Examinations,” she said urging the public to report to police or call UNEB toll-free line 0800-111-427.

The 2023 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) has commenced today, Tuesday, November 7, 2023, with a briefing of candidates. The candidates will write their papers on November 8th and 9th.

Last month, Police in Kampala arrested Williams Suuna, the head teacher of Old Kampala Secondary School, Luyima Gilbert, a teacher at Bank Hill College, Zana, and Zuria Kunia Kareem, the Headteacher of Nakaseke Seed School over exam malpractices. The trio was allegedly found in possession of what appeared to be a Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) examination paper.

According to the UNEB Act, once convicted, culprits now face the possibility of imprisonment ranging from 5 to 10 years or hefty fines of up to 20 million Shillings.