Apac’s Head Teacher Arrested For Stealing 35 School Desks

Geoffrey Eya, the headteacher of Odokomac primary school, is being investigated by police in Apac district, northern Uganda, for the alleged theft of 35 school desks.

Eya is accused of illegally selling 35 desks to a private school, Mother Anna nursery and primary school, without informing municipal officials or the school management committee.

The desks were among 164 donated to the school by the Japanese Embassy in Uganda as part of the Grant Assistance Program. On Wednesday of this week, Eya allegedly sold the desks for Shs 3.5 million. He was arrested and detained at Apac Central Police Station on Thursday after a complaint was filed by Rev. Gilbert Opio, the chairperson of the school management committee.

The school, according to Rev Opio, does not have enough desks for its students. A visit to the school grounds reveals that there are no desks for students in the lower primary classes; P.1-P.3, with students sitting on the floor.

Lydia Alum, the owner of Mother Anna Nursery P/S, claims that she requested the 35 desks with the intention of simply borrowing them, but the head teacher instead offered to sell them, claiming that they had more than enough for all students.

While Apac district police commander Jesica Naawe stated that the police had already launched an investigation into the matter, Agulu division councillor Moses Adoko Okello pledged to follow up on the matter in order to reduce cases of abuse of government properties by some school principals.

According to Fostino Opila, the Apac Municipal Education Officer, his office is swamped with cases of theft of government property in schools.