Africa-Press – Uganda. The three officials, according to Mr Kabangizi, are also accused by the same banks of fraud.
The Ntungamo chief administrative officer, Mr Hanny Turyahebwa said the district will investigate its officials to establish if they were involved in any criminal actions.
Meanwhile, 1,580 pupils (15 percent) of the 10,521 who sat the exams, failed with Grade U while only 1,412 pupils got Grade 1
At least 120 teachers in Ntungamo District in western Uganda are being probed for allegedly swapping banks to escape repaying salary loans they acquired.
However, the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) said they are negotiating with the affected banks which have already initiated criminal sanctions against the said teachers and the district local government officials who helped them transfer their salary accounts to other banks after receiving salary loans thus causing massive losses in default to the primary banks.
UNATU district chairperson, Mr Gideon Kabangizi said the teachers swapped their accounts before servicing the loans they acquired.
“The most affected banks are Centenary and Stanbic banks. I and the executive have been in negotiations them to find a way of how this case can be settled without the teachers being humiliated. After getting the loans, they (teachers) were allegedly helped by some people here (at the district headquarters) and reopened their salary accounts in other banks leaving the primary banks without where to cut loan servicing money,” Mr Kabangizi said.
He said 120 teachers and some district officials are being investigated for fraud.
“Last week, a female head teacher I will not name was arrested at the bank. I pleaded with the bank to see that she is released. There are other 120 who are wanted. We are in negotiations so that they come to the bank and see how to handle things before they are arrested. This would be a big number and a humiliation to the profession. We know we take multiple loans due to our challenges but we can’t afford embarrassing everyone,” he said during the release of the Primary seven pre-PLE district exam results at the Ntungamo district council hall on Tuesday.
In a separate interview with this reporter, he said the district human resource and education staff officials were helping teachers commit fraud and they too are likely to face charges concurrently with teachers if the banks take them on for criminal investigations.
Some of the Ntungamo district teachers pictured participating in a teachers’ conference recently. PHOTOs/ PEREZ RUMANZI
The development comes after three district officials; the information technology officer Mr Julius Ashaba; chief finance officer, Mr Andrew Byaruhanaga and former chief administration officer, Ms Nakityo Joanita were last month arrested by the Inspectorate of Government over fraud for allegedly misusing over Shs90 million and being involved in loss of over Shs300 million from the district coffers.
The three officials, according to Mr Kabangizi, are also accused by the same banks of fraud.
The Ntungamo chief administrative officer, Mr Hanny Turyahebwa said the district will investigate its officials to establish if they were involved in any criminal actions.
Meanwhile, 1,580 pupils (15 percent) of the 10,521 who sat the exams, failed with Grade U while only 1,412 pupils got Grade 1
The district inspector of schools, Mr Fred Bahat noted that 324 pupils did not return to school to resume classes following relaxing of Covid-19 restrictions by government.
The Ntungamo RDC, Mr George Bakunda asked teachers to remain professional despite the challenges they go through and asked them to act as role models in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
