IGG warns against forged academic papers as Kole health official is convicted

“Vacate public offices before we get to you.”

That is the warning from the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) to public servants who use forged academic documents or impersonate other people to secure government jobs, following the conviction of a senior health official in Kole district for personation.

Alfred Atulinde, the officer in charge of the IGG Lira Regional Office, described the practice as a common vice and warned that the inspectorate would pursue those involved to ensure that only qualified people occupy public offices.

“We are warning such people that we shall come after them so that we have qualified people occupying public offices."

His warning follows the conviction of Sarafino Omara, also known as Martin Egwang, who served as Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Maternal and Child Health at Kole District Local Government.

The conviction followed a successful prosecution by the IGG in a case in which the accused was found to have impersonated his younger brother and used questionable academic documents to secure public employment.

The case, Uganda versus Martin Egwang, also known as Sarafino Omara, was registered as Case No. 67 of 2026. He was arrested on March 10, 2026, and produced in court on March 12, 2026. The proceedings culminated in his conviction and sentencing on September 28, 2026.

The court fined him sh1 million on each count, with one year’s imprisonment for each count in default of payment. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively.

He was also dismissed from public service after investigations established that some of the academic documents he had used to secure his employment did not belong to him, while others were forged. The court further ordered the cancellation of academic documents he had obtained under the name Martin Egwang.

How the scheme unfolded

According to the prosecution, the offences arose from Omara’s application for the position of Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Maternal and Child Health at Kole District Local Government in February 2017.

At the time, he was serving as a nursing officer at Apac District Local Government before seeking a promotion through a transfer to Kole.

Investigations established that he presented a Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) belonging to his younger brother, Martin Egwang, an estate engineer at Busitema University.

He also used a forged postgraduate diploma in Public Administration and Management, which he purported to have obtained from a university, to support his application.

The documents enabled him to be shortlisted, interviewed and appointed to the position, according to the prosecution.

Before joining Kole district, he had allegedly used a forged UCE certificate to secure employment as a nursing officer in Apac District Local Government.

Two charges in court

The prosecution charged him with uttering a false document and personation of a person named in a certificate, offences under the Penal Code Act.

In the first count, he was accused of knowingly and fraudulently presenting a false postgraduate diploma to the Kole District Service Commission.

In the second count, he was accused of presenting his brother’s UCE certificate, issued by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), while falsely representing himself as the rightful holder.

The prosecution further alleged that he used the certificate to gain admission to International Health Sciences University before obtaining employment with Kole District Local Government.

Grade One Magistrate Susan Adelo presided over the case.

The IGG was represented by William Moses Ntumwa, a principal inspectorate officer, and Milly Namuwanga, an inspectorate officer.

The conviction highlights concerns about the use of forged academic qualifications and identity documents to obtain public positions, with the IGG warning that it would continue pursuing those who undermine the integrity of public service recruitment.