The Anti-Corruption Court charged another Jinja District Education official-DEOs with misappropriating Universal Primary Education (UPE) capitation grants.
The accused, Mutesi Aminah, the Principal Education Officer for Jinja District, appeared before Grade One Magistrate Christopher Opit, where she pleaded not guilty to the charge of abuse of office.
Mutesi is jointly charged with Mulopa Haruna, the Senior Education Officer, and Ngobi Samuel, a Sports Assistant Officer.
Both Haruna and Ngobi were previously arraigned and remanded after pleading not guilty to the charges on August 21, 2024.
According to court documents, the three officials are accused of diverting UPE funds meant for the improvement of government-aided primary schools.
Instead, these funds were allegedly used for unauthorized activities, including a sports workshop and various Jinja City Council functions.
Such actions are in direct violation of the established UPE guidelines and regulations, which strictly govern the use of public funds allocated for educational purposes.
The prosecution alleges that on May 24, 2024, the accused directed head teachers within Jinja City to divert UPE capitation grants to finance second term activities, an act that has been deemed prejudicial to the interests of government-supported primary education.
The case has sparked significant concern among education stakeholders and the public, given the critical role that UPE funds play in supporting the education of Uganda's children.
Misuse of these funds can have far-reaching implications for the quality of education and the welfare of students in the affected schools.
The case continues to unfold, with further court proceedings expected as the accused maintain their innocence.
