School head loses Shs6m to State House imposters

LIRA. Ms Rose Nangwala, the headmistress of St Catherine Girls’ School in Lira, was on March 28, conned of Shs6m by impersonators, who claimed to be working for State House’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
On March 27, Ms Nangwala received a phone call from a stranger, who identified himself as Mike Adoko, notifying her of the Unit’s visit to her school.

True to their word, three men appeared at her office the following morning after they were cleared at the school gate and ordered Ms Nangwala to shut her office door supposedly to create a “conducive environment” for her interrogation over alleged abuse of school funds.
They confiscated her mobile phone to prevent her from recording any conversation.
The three men according to her, claimed to be operatives working with the State House’s Anti-Corruption Unit, who were part of the team deployed in Lango sub-region a week earlier.

The “State House team” had allegedly come to investigate the headmistress over accusation that she withdrew more than Shs66 million and banked it on her personal account. They also claimed that she had been transferring teachers illegally.
“After several minutes of intimidation, they asked me to give them Shs6 million or else I would be paraded before the press, who they claim were waiting in their car. I was forced to pull the money and hand it over,” Ms Nangwala said.
She handed the money to Abraham Odot Kadogo, whom the other two referred to as ‘afande’.

Impersonators return
A week later, the three men returned aboard a blue pickup truck and stormed Ms Nangwala’s office as she prepared to leave for the bank in Lira Town.
Ms Nangwala was, however, more alert. She asked them to identify themselves. They could not provide any documents.
“They said they had returned to take my statement and when I asked for their identity, they had nothing. Two walked out to collect other documents from the car but fled as they heard me alerting security,” she said.

They then held Mr Onapito Andrew (as per the names in the visitors’ book at the main book).
Attempts to independently verify the particulars of the three suspects with the UPDF and police in Lira revealed that Mr Onapito was a soldier attached to the UPDF Intelligence office in Lango sub-region.
Upon Ms Nangwala reporting the matter, police launched an investigation in which Mr Adoko and Mr Odot were arrested.
“We arrested the trio and because the army has interest in the matter, they have been taken to Acolpii Army Barracks in Pader on charges of obtaining money by false pretence,” Mr David Ongom Mudong, the North Kyoga police spokesperson, said.

He says the head teacher also accuses the trio of putting her at gunpoint before they asked for the money.
In a press briefing in Lira Town, Mr Milton Odongo, the Lira Resident District Commissioner, said several groups have emerged in Lira and they are extorting money from the public in the names of State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
Mr Don Wanyama, the Senior Presidential Press Secretary, on Wednesday said they had received details on the matter but referred it to the security team in Lango sub-region.

Investigations
However, Maj Telephor Turyamumanya, the 5th Division UPDF spokesman, said the army had finished investigations into the matter and the three would be arraigned before the army disciplinary court.
“The files are complete, the soldiers’ charges are obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, exhibiting conduct contrary to good service and discipline as the army dictates,” he said.

He said both Mr Adoko and Mr Kadogo were being held at Acolpii Army Barracks instead of a civilian facility since they impersonated a state organ and committed the crime together with their soldier.
In February this year, police in Mbarara arrested a 29-year-old John Bosco Kwesiga in Ntungamo District over extorting money from the public upon impersonating as a State House aide working with Lucy Nakyobe, the State House comptroller, to give scholarships to students and pupils.

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