Lira City School Inspector arrested for allegedly extorting money from headteachers
Omara was allegedly getting money from headteachers through Okot at the latter's bar in Lira City, purportedly to save the headteachers from UNEB penalties.
Omara (in a white T-shirt) and Okot wait for transport to Kampala. (Credit: Joseph Ekol)
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LIRA CITY — The Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) security working with the Police have arrested the Lira City Senior Inspector of Schools, Tom Ronald Omara, for allegedly extorting money from headteachers.
Omara was arrested on Sunday (October 11) at a bar in Lira City West division at about 6:00pm on allegations of extorting money from five headteachers of primary schools and one secondary school within Lira City.
Omara was arrested alongside Ambrose Okot, a bar operator in Lira City West division. According to authorities, Omara was allegedly getting money from headteachers through Okot at the latter's bar in Lira City, purportedly to save the headteachers from UNEB penalties.
Omara reportedly contacted the headteachers in June this year and informed them that the UNEB Chief Legal Officer had come to Lira City to investigate the irregularities in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) registration exercise.
The headteacher of Olaka Primary School, Leonard Omara, testified that during the 2026 UNEB registration, he registered 134 candidates from private schools as Universal Primary Education (UPE) pupils. It is alleged that inspector Omara called and instructed the headteacher to mobilise five headteachers of private schools to collect sh15,000 per pupil, which he did and that collected the money amounted to sh2m, which was given to the inspector.
“He tasked me to collect sh2,050,000 and I took the first installment of sh200.000 to him in his office, then the following day I added sh1.850.000, which he received from Nelly Resort Hotel,” headteacher Omara claimed
Another extortion reportedly happened at Lango College, where inspector Omara reportedly called a headteacher, Sam Bob Okino, and introduced Okot to him as Musinguzi (UNEB head of legal), who had come from Kampala to investigate corruption at his (Okino's) school.
Okino told police that Omara called him and arranged a meeting with Okot, who was at the time in his office within Lira City Council headquarters. Okino further alleged that moments later, Okot called him and instructed him to pay sh2m to him so he could drop the case against him. "I only deposited an installment of sh500,000 to his mobile number registered in the name of William Musinguzi," Okino said.
After the arrest, Okot was locked up at Lira City Central Police Station, while Omara was taken to Lira City West Division police station.
On Monday (October 12), the suspects were matched before the Lira City Acting Principal Assistant Town Clerk, Rebecca Acen, who on behalf of the Town Clerk, handed Omara officially to the police to proceed with the investigations.
At Lira City Central Police Station, several affected headteachers turned up and recorded statements.
Asked before his supervisors, Omara acknowledged having introduced Okot to headteachers of Olaka Primary School and Lango College as a UNEB Legal Officer and Inspectorate of Government staff.
UNEB confirms arrest
Jenifer Kalule, the UNEB spokesperson, confirmed that their security team was transporting Omara alongside his co-accused Okot to Kampala, where they also allegedly conned some other people.
Kalule said about 10 schools are involved and called upon headteachers to always desist registering non-UPE candidates in UPE schools.
She cautioned the public to be alert and avoid being defrauded by scammers.