Five school administrators arrested over alleged misuse of government funds

3 September 2026, 7:28 pm

By Geoffrey Okwong

Police in Pader District have opened a General Enquiry File to investigate alleged financial irregularities involving Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) funds in several schools, with five school administrators arrested in connection with the inquiry.

The investigation is examining allegations of inflated pupil figures and how government funds sent to the institutions are being utilised.

Pader District Police Commander, SP Jackson Bogere, said the investigation seeks to establish whether government funds were misused or abused and to identify those responsible if wrongdoing is established.

The allegations come against the background of figures contained in a district education report presented during a recent Full Council meeting, showing significant differences between UPE enrolment and daily attendance at some of the schools now under police investigation.

The report lists Ogom Primary School with a UPE enrolment of 976 pupils, compared with a daily attendance figure of 335.

Jupa Primary School is listed with 2,026 pupils enrolled under UPE, while its reported daily attendance was 423.

At Olwornguu Primary School, the report records UPE enrolment of 2,229 pupils, compared with a daily attendance figure of 1,910.

Meanwhile, St Joseph Primary School had a reported UPE enrolment of 699 pupils, against a daily attendance figure of 276.

The figures, however, do not by themselves establish that pupil numbers were inflated, but they provide relevant context to the police investigation into the allegations.

Bogere said the investigation followed a complaint from a parent whose children were allegedly denied certain school services after the parent declined to comply with a local arrangement that was said to be contrary to government policy.

The complaint also raised allegations of money being collected from parents under the guise of PTA contributions.

Bogere said the first head teacher to be arrested was from Ogom Primary School in Angagura Subcounty.

He said the head teacher was arrested earlier and later released on bond on Friday last week but remains under investigation.

Bogere said police subsequently arrested the head teacher and deputy head teacher of Olwornguu Primary School, located in Acoro Parish, Pader Town Council.

The head teacher of Jupa Primary School in Angagura Subcounty and the head teacher of St Joseph Primary School in Paiula Subcounty were also arrested as investigations continued.

This brings to five the number of school administrators arrested in connection with the inquiry.

Bogere said the arrests were intended to facilitate investigations and establish whether the suspects were linked to the alleged financial irregularities.

He said police may summon additional individuals if investigations establish that they could have information about, or links to, the suspected misuse of government funds.

Bogere said the inquiry was opened following a complaint and that police would establish the facts before determining the next course of action.

SP Jackson Bogere says police will not keep suspects in custody unnecessarily and will comply with constitutional requirements governing detention.

Bogere added that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions would guide police on the appropriate course of action once the investigations are completed.

He said the release of the Ogom Primary School head teacher on bond did not mean the investigation had been closed, as police continued to examine the allegations.