Don’t move, police tell burnt school teachers

What you need to know:

  • Arrested. Police have since detained 10 people, including five students, two security guards, two residents and a warden.

Rakai. Police have grilled four top administrators and two teachers of St Bernard’s SS, Maanya in Rakai District and restricted movement of all its employees.
Among those that have recorded statements with detectives is the head teacher, Mr Henry Nsubuga, his two deputies and the director of studies.
It was unclear if they were being questioned to provide information as witnesses or suspects.
Police have since the November 12 deadly fire, which claimed lives of 11 students, taken into custody 10 people, including five students, two security guards, two residents and a warden.
The arrested students were taken to the Kifamba Sub-county chairperson, Mr Pius Lubega, by their parents after fearing to be arrested for hiding suspects.

Freed
Four staff, comprising the institution’s senior administrators, have been temporarily freed.
A senior detective, who asked not to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media, said no employee of the Catholic Church-founded school is allowed to move outside the institution’s premises without police authorisation.
The source said they are expanding investigation into the possibility that the inferno was a result of managerial conflict, contrasting earlier claims by the school authorities that suspended unruly Senior Four students were likely masterminds.
Based on information offered by interrogated individuals and volunteers, another investigator said they now believe that the administrators may have a case to answer.
The specific information giving rise to the police suspicion was not immediately clear, and a source in the know said such a disclosure could jeopardise ongoing inquiries.
Mr Ben Nuwamanya, the district police commander, however, last night said: “We are not restricting their (staff) movement, but we are closely monitoring them. Of course, they cannot be allowed to move out of the country now.”
He provided no specific reason for the limitations.
In Kampala, the police spokesperson, Mr Emilian Kayima, yesterday said: “As for the investigation and probable causes of the fire and murder of the [11] children [is concerned], we shall follow all lines to be able to find the killers and bring them to book.”
Beyond prosecution, Mr Kayima said lessons learned from the tragedy will be shared to stem recurrence through better institutional infrastructure planning.
The government-aided school, which receives substantial funding from foreign philanthropists to support underprivileged students, has nine teachers on government payroll, 50 other paid by the diocese and there are a dozen non-teaching staff.
When this newspaper revisited the school yesterday, fear among staff was palpable.
The school has reportedly suffered a management crisis in its top ranks ever since Masaka Diocesan authorities transferred Fr Nestus Mugisha, the former Mannya Parish priest, who was instrumental in mobilising funds to improve school infrastructure, to Buyaga Parish.
In the last three years, the school has had three head teachers and the two were transferred under unclear circumstances and allegedly at the prodding of the diocese.
Recently, 10 teachers at the school were told, if interested, to re-apply afresh for their jobs as part of management changes, which detectives say could have angered some to revenge by setting a dormitory alight.
Since Monday, the school administrators have held back-to-back meetings chaired by the institution’s board chairperson, Fr Joseph Ssembatya, to attempt to understand the motive of the deadly attack and its mastermind(s).
Security personnel, including Rakai District Internal Security officer, Mr Moses Seruwu, have attended some of the meetings.

Internal meetings
However, Fr Ssembatya told Daily Monitor yesterday that having closed-door meetings as board members was aimed at getting more information from staff who fear to share it with investigators.
“Of course, we have a right to discuss some issues without the presence of security personnel. This helps us to gather more information from our subordinates, which police could fail to get,” he said.
He denied allegations that the management could have had a hand in the students’ deaths.
Ms Mary Nasejje Ssemusu, a school board member, said they were still waiting for bodies of students which were taken to Kampala for DNA test.
“We are waiting for the return of bodies anytime from now and then we hold a mass before handing them over to the parents,” Ms Ssemusu said.
One of the victims, Brian Ssendwowa, who died after being transferred from Kitovu Hospital to Kiruddu in Kampala, was buried at his ancestral home in Ddwaniro, Rakai yesterday. Survivors at various facilities were reported at various stages of recuperation.

Reported by Ambrose Musasizi, Moses Muwulya, Ivan Kimbowa & Joseph Kato