IGG orders dismissal of four district officials over forged academic papers

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The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has ordered for the dismissal of officials in three districts over allegedly uttering false documents to gain employment.

The IGG directed the chief administrative officer of Bundibugyo, Dokolo District Local Government (DLG) and the Town Clerk of Koboko Municipal Council, to dismiss the officials who uttered false documents to gain employment.

The orders were signed by deputy IGG Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe on June 4, 2025, following successful investigations by the Inspectorate of Government (IG).

The officials are Charles Agaba (assistant inventory management officer) and Eve Ithungu (parish chief Bundibugyo DLG), David Livingstone Okello (district inspector of schools Dokolo DLG) and David Dimba Kenyi (principal education officer, Koboko Municipal Council).

IG investigations reveal that in 2008, Agaba was appointed as an assistant procurement officer on probation and was subsequently confirmed in service in 2010.

Forgeries

According to the IG, although he was recommended for promotion to the position of procurement officer in 2019, the District Service Commission opted to advertise the position for fair competition.

But instead of submitting his application for the position, he successfully sued the district for unfairly denying him the promotion since he possessed the required qualifications. The court awarded Agaba shillings 35 million in compensation.

Investigations reveal that Agaba forged Certificate No. KYU – B 10839 and Academic Transcript No. 027976 for a Bachelor’s Degree in Procurement and Logistics Management from Kyambogo University to Bundibugyo DLG.

“He not only submitted forged academic documents for promotion to the position of procurement officer but also unlawfully obtained a court-awarded compensation,” according to the IG.

Ithungu is accused of submitting a forged diploma in public administration certificate purportedly from the Uganda Pentecostal University and appointed as a parish chief by the Bundibugyo District Service Commission under Min No.1/DSC/2022.

Investigations to indicate that in December 2018, the town clerk of Koboko Municipal Council appointed, on promotion, Kenyi to the position of principal education officer after he presented a letter purportedly issued to him by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), equating his Sudan School Certificate to the Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE).

According to the IG, the said letter of equivalence formed the basis for his subsequent academic pursuit and eventual employment with Koboko Municipal Council. However, UNEB has since denied issuing the said letter.

Okello is accused of forging a letter of appointment on probation as an assistant education officer purportedly issued by the Education Service Commission vide Minute No. 64/2007 (677).

However, the IG says upon verification, Minute No. 64/2007 (677) belonged to Juliet Kwagga, who was appointed as assistant education officer (English/Literature).

The IG states that in June 2007, Okello presented his posting instruction to Kangai Secondary School, Dokolo DLG, to teach Geography, purportedly by the Ministry of Education and Sports, (MoES), Vide Minute No. 10/2007 (677).

“The posting instruction was verified and found to be false, as it was non-existent,” according to IG.

According to IG, Okello used the same forged posting instructions of 2007 purportedly from MoES as supporting documents to his application for the position of inspector of schools and was appointed and confirmed on October 24, 2018.

The IG states that Okello’s action of uttering a false appointment letter and posting instructions violated Section 328 of the Penal Code Act.

The section stipulates that any person who knowingly and fraudulently utters a false document commits an offence of the same kind and is liable to the same punishment as if he or she had forged the thing in question.

Similarly, the act of presenting a forged letter certifying the equivalence of academic qualifications to gain employment constitutes gross misconduct contrary to Section F-r, Paragraph 7 of the Public Service Standing Orders, 2021.

The section stipulates that gross misconduct destroys the relationship of trust and confidence between the public officer and a Ministry or Department or an Agency or a Local Government, and renders the working relationship untenable.

Gross misconduct shall result in public interest or dismissal.

The CAOs of Bundibugyo and Dokolo DLGs, and the town clerk of Koboko Municipal Council, are supposed to inform the IG of the action taken.