By An accountant at Nakawa Vocational Training Institute, Samuel Wampero, has been remanded to prison on charges of forgery and uttering false documents in a case that has shocked Uganda’s education sector.
Wampero appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday afternoon, where he was formally charged with falsifying academic qualifications to secure employment with the Ministry of Education and Sports. He has been remanded until April 22, 2025, as investigations continue.
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According to a joint operation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate CID, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ODPP, Wampero is accused of presenting forged UCE and UACE certificates purportedly issued by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). In addition, he allegedly presented fake transcripts for a Diploma and a Bachelor’s degree, supposedly from Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Kyambogo University.
Investigators say the fraudulent documents were submitted to the Education Service Commission in 2004, with the intent to deceive government authorities and fraudulently secure a position within the Ministry of Education and Sports. He was later deployed to Nakawa Vocational Institute, where he has served as an accountant for years.
Officials familiar with the case say the forgery was discovered during a routine verification exercise spearheaded by the Ministry and its affiliated anti-corruption agencies. The documents were flagged for inconsistencies, prompting a deeper investigation that culminated in Wampero’s arrest.
Forgery and uttering false documents are criminal offenses under the Penal Code Act, carrying potential penalties of up to seven years in prison upon conviction. The prosecution said it would present both documentary evidence and witness testimony to prove that Wampero knowingly submitted fake credentials with the aim of deceiving a government institution.
The case has drawn public attention, reigniting debate about academic fraud and the integrity of the recruitment process for public service jobs. Wampero will remain in custody at Luzira Prison until his next court appearance later this month.
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