Police in Lira City have arrested three suspects for attempting to bribe a Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) Scout in a bid to influence the conduct of the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), which begin today.
The suspects have been identified as Odongo George, Director of Atura Community Day Primary School; Ekut Simon, aged 32, a former teacher at the same school; and Awoko Lavoiser, aged 26, a teacher at St. Gracious Primary School, Barapwo, in Lira City West Division.
The trio allegedly attempted to bribe a UNEB Scout from Lira who had been assigned to supervise the PLE in Oyam District. They reportedly offered the officer a bribe of Shs 1 million to compromise the process.
The act was intended to undermine the integrity of the national examinations scheduled to start tomorrow.
Police, acting swiftly on a tip-off, arrested the suspects at Garden Hotel, Lira City, and recovered the money, which has been exhibited as evidence.
Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be arraigned in court. They will be charged under Section 26 (1)(g) of the UNEB Act, Cap 259, which provides for a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of Shs 20 million, or both upon conviction.
UNEB Executive Director Dan Odongo has cautioned the public and all those involved in the supervision of the PLE to desist from engaging in acts of aiding or abetting examination malpractice.
He emphasised that UNEB is working closely with the Police and other security agencies, who will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to compromise the credibility of national examinations, regardless of their position or status.
