During the second week of last year's O-level examinations, images of leaked question papers for biology, chemistry and christian religious education were splashed all over social media hours before candidates began writing exams. Police swung into action and made several arrests across the country. YUDAYA NANGONZI reports on the progress of actions taken so far.
Preliminary findings from the ongoing joint probe by police and exams' body, Uneb, reveal that some of the papers were shared on WhatsApp. In other cases, several individuals were found vending hard copies of the papers in schools while others were caught cheating inside examination rooms.
As he released O-level results in February, Uneb executive secretary Dan N. Odongo noted that candidates were mainly assisted by third parties inside exam rooms. Other forms of malpractice such as collusion, and smuggling of unauthorised materials into the exam rooms were also reported but less common, he said.
Majority cases of malpractice were reported in science subjects with biology being the most affected with 39.7 per cent of the cases. It was followed by physics, chemistry and mathematics.
Out of the 14 affected districts, each had a suspect teacher. Nine suspects jumped police bond and criminal summons have been issued against them, while other cases are ongoing in various courts.
In May, the parliamentary committee on education reported that Odongo had told MPs that penalties prescribed for offenders under the Uneb Act were not punitive and deterrent enough. The board submitted its proposals for amendment of the law to cabinet and is waiting for the outcome of that intervention.
Meanwhile, the deputy police spokesman Patrick Onyango has told The Observer that investigations are still ongoing.
"It takes time to get the source of information that has been shared via WhatsApp. Our upcountry Information Officers only rely on cybercrime units located at police headquarters in Naguru," Onyango said.
WAKISO
On October 18, 2017 at around 2pm, the police divisional crime intelligence officer in Entebbe received information from an administrator at Entebbe Parents SS that there were people at the school office vending UCE examinations.
Police rushed to the school and caught Daniel Ebonyu and Jackson Onyang, both teachers at Gateway primary school in Entebbe. They informed police that they were sent by David Okiror, a teacher in Lira district.
According to sources, each paper sold for Shs 500,000. Okiror had sent the mathematics paper to Ebonyu's WhatsApp number. Ebonyu and Onyang were arrested. During interrogation, they linked investigators to Morris Ogwang, Richard Okelle and Fredrick Dong. All the five suspects have since been charged with conspiracy under case number CRB 995/2017, which is ongoing at Entebbe.
Okiror, the alleged prime suspect, is still at large.
NAKASEKE
The following day (October 19) at Kimuna SS in Nakaseke, a 17-year-old candidate (names withheld) was found with a question paper during biology practicals. When asked by a Uneb scout where he got it, the student cited his biology teacher, Nicholas Kibirige.
Sources say Kibirige was closely monitoring the interrogation of the student and soon vanished. The student was, however, allowed to continue with the exam. This case is still under inquiry as reference number SD 18/19/10/2017.
BUNYANGABU
On October 22, 2017, investigations found that Derrick Kiwanuka told Allan Samuel Wafula, a teacher at Kibitto SS in Bunyangabu district, that he had examination answers. Kiwanuka allegedly sent to Wafula's WhatsApp number history papers I, II and III.
It was later discovered that Kiwanuka and Wafula got to know each other between 2014 and 2015 while teaching in Mukono. Two days later, police also arrested Justus Musinguzi who was trying to sell the same papers in the district. Rachael Nagawa and Godfrey Businge were also arrested.
All five suspects appeared in court on November 20, 2017 before being remanded. They were released on bail on November 22 but have since vanished.
AMURIA
On October 20, the regional CIID officer of East Kyoga received information from whistleblowers that Samson Eyumu, the head teacher of Amuria High School, was involved in exam malpractice.
It was discovered that Eyumu used his phone to send the Geography I paper, which he had received a few minutes past midnight of that day, to a WhatsApp group titled: Association of Secondary School Teachers of Teso (ASSHU).
When his phone was checked, it was discovered that he had deleted the messages. He declined to speak when asked about the source of the paper. He was arrested and taken to court.
Six months later on April 19, 2018, the case was dismissed for want of prosecution. An offence of revealing contents of examination materials and computer misuse had been preferred against him.
SERERE
In Serere, two cases of exam malpractice are under investigation; being in possession of exam material (CRB 1285/2017) and impersonation, both under reference 1275. On October 26 during Chemistry II exam, Sam Aleleu, a teacher at Kamod SS, was found in possession of a Chemistry paper.
Aleleu told a Uneb chief scout deployed at the school that he had received the paper after midnight on October 25, 2017. He didn't say who sent the paper. He was arrested. Case is still ongoing in Serere court.
Meanwhile, on October 20, 2017, an individual not registered for Uneb exams was discovered by a chief scout and the deputy head teacher of Kadungulu SS, Samson Watson Ewana, sitting Geography I on behalf of a registered candidate. This case is ongoing.
IGANGA
With 16 cases, Iganga has the highest number of suspects. In fact, Odongo told journalists last year that the epicentre of the leaks was Iganga. It is also here where the area supervisor and a scout in Busesa connived. The scout confessed to receiving Shs 1 million by unnamed persons to surrender keys to the storage room.
On October 31, 2017, a Uneb chief scout arrested a candidate found with answer papers for Physics II at Bugweri College School. The student was allowed to sit all papers before being handed over to Busesa police post. He was taken to court but has since jumped bail.
In another case, Odongo tipped off police, leading to the arrest of 13 people, namely; Isaac Baguma, Alex Nakibinge, Ismael Isanga, Fredrick Dongo, Ivan Kalyesubula, Gilbert Luyima, Patrick Mutyaba, Simon Lubandi, Nathan Busolo, Henry Katono Tosaaga, Jonathan Musumba, Hassan Waiswa and Ben Bella Oding.
Waiswa appeared in court on June 13, 2018 but is currently out on bail. Criminal summons have been issued for Lubandi, Busolo, Katono and Oding who remain at large. Dongo, Kalyesubula and others appeared on May 30, 2018 and are out on bail.
At Iganga Girls SS, Uneb chief invigilator Wilson Byakuno, entered the examination room during an Economics paper with a mobile phone contrary to the rules. All exhibits were removed by scouts and handed over to police. Byakuno and Charles Wakasa were arrested. The accused later jumped bond.
HOIMA
Police arrested Fred Jalameso, a teacher at Hilltop SS in Hoima, on November 3, 2017. His phone showed he had received Geography and History examination papers via WhatsApp. The source of the leak was Bomthon Mayanja, a teacher at Byenkya SS.
Seven other people were arrested, including; Brian Rugadya, a teacher at Victorious PS Hoima, Jalameso, Fred Samuel (teachers at Byenkya SS) and Samuel Ogema, George Obeti, John Bosco Ojuka and Moses Mulindwa – all teachers at St Jude PS, Hoima. Their case is still ongoing.
KALUNGU
Police is said to have been tipped off by a Uneb staff that somebody had approached a scout at St Thereza Girls SS in Kalungu to allow candidates cheat in exchange for Shs 2 million.
Godfrey Mulema, a teacher at St Thereza, was arrested at Villa Maria guesthouse while giving Shs 2m to the scout.
LUWERO
In the first week of November, Odongo learned that the head teacher of Kakungulu Memorial SS in Bombo, Sayidi Musisi, was involved in examination malpractice. Investigations began and four people were arrested.
These are Dominic Bizibu, Ismail Bogere, Alex Wandera and Peter Ssemuddu. The case came up for hearing on June 14, 2018 and all the four were charged with examination malpractice and conspiracy.
NAKASONGOLA
Following the arrest of Sayidi Musisi and four others in Luweero, the same information was used in the arrest of Joseph Lwanga, Benard Bandikubi and Wandera for the second time, who was previously arrested in Luweero.
All the three appeared on different days in court and are still on remand in Nakasongola prison.
KAMPALA
In the same week of November after the arrest of Musisi in Luweero, four other suspects were arrested in Kampala. They are Sulaiman Mubiru, Abel Opiyo Okello, Dominic Bizibu and Brian Mwesizi.
All appeared in court on January 12, 2018 and got bail.
MUKONO
On November 8, 2017, Nelson Tumwizire, a teacher at Seeta HS Green Campus in Mukono and St Juliana Gayaza, was picked by police. On interrogation, he denied having access to Uneb examination papers but led detectives to Wilfred Ssentongo, a director of studies (DoS) at St George SS Mukono and Yona Mutahi, also a DoS at Mpoma Royal College.
After investigations, seven people namely Ssentongo, Mutahi, Betty Nakato alias Liz, Willy Kamudde, Martin Wampoko, Benard Lubega and Benard Kalungi were detained.
KAMWENGE
Three cases of examination malpractice at O-level and PLE were compiled from this district. On November 2, 2017 at around 11am, while at Kamwenge Modern PS, two invigilators; Juliet Ayebare and John Arinaitwe (both teachers at Kimuli PS) were found with mobile phones in examination rooms. They were arrested by a Uneb scout and handed over to police.
On April 27, 2018, the accused were convicted and sentenced to a fine of Shs 50,000 each and exhibits of their phones were destroyed.
On November 3 at Rukunyu PS in Kamwenge, two schools were sitting at the same centre: Rukunyu PS and Grand Relief Preparatory PS. Roseline Kayesu, head teacher at Grand Relief and James Kwerwanaho, a centre supervisor, were caught by a district monitor in an examination room with science textbooks in the presence of Vincent Bwambale, a Uneb scout.
Police arrested Kayesu, Kwerwanaho, Bwambale and Edward Mushakamba. Their case is still in court.
MITYANA
In Mityana, malpractice cases were only recorded during PLE examinations. On day one of the exams [November 2], candidates of Habubu Islamic Centre sat for their exams at Mityana Public School. It was discovered that a 16-year-old female S2 student of King Faisal SS Buuye was sitting exams for a 13-year-old.
Similarly, a male 16-year-old S2 student of Kikumbi SS was sitting exams for another P7 candidate. Both were former pupils of Hababu Islamic Centre and were arrested.
nangonzi@observer.ug
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