By Our Reporter
Police in Arua have apprehended a man from Wakiso District on allegations of scamming teachers while posing as the State Minister for Higher Education, Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo.
Victor Aja Adame, a 43-year-old resident of Galuga Bukaya Village in Katabi Town Council, is accused of defrauding staff members at Logiri Girls Secondary School of Shs35 million by falsely claiming to be acting on Minister Muyingo’s orders.
According to reports, in September 2023, Adame visited the headteacher’s office at Logiri Girls Secondary School and asserted that the minister had tasked him with identifying qualified teachers who were not on the government payroll. He also claimed to be evaluating candidates for promotion to the position of head teacher.
Additionally, Adame promised that the top four A-Level students would receive government sponsorship to attend any public university.
Headteacher Ms. Lillian Apio Tak welcomed Adame and convened a staff meeting to relay his message. It was discovered that 31 teachers, three nurses, and one lab attendant urgently sought assistance from the ministry.
The suspect allegedly demanded Shs1 million from each of the 35 staff members to consider them for headteacher promotions or inclusion on the government payroll. He assured them that by the end of December 2023, they would receive communication from Minister Muyingo.
However, after receiving the funds, Adame ceased answering phone calls from the headteacher and eventually turned off his known mobile phone number. This behavior raised suspicions, leading the headteacher to report the incident to Arua Vurra Central Police Station at Odumi. A case of obtaining money by false pretense was registered.
The police successfully traced, arrested, and detained the suspect. During the arrest, Shs2 million was recovered from him.
