Over 100 Teso parents duped in fake scholarship deal

Over one hundred parents from Kumi, Serere, and Amuria districts are currently in tears after they were allegedly duped by a 33-year-old tailor who promised to pay their children’s school fees.

Lazarus Akol, a resident of Omatenga in Kumi district but currently residing in Kichinjaji, Soroti city, was arrested on Sunday, January 2, after 192 students were left stranded at Hadassah, a private secondary school in Soroti city.

The regional police commander East Kyoga, Damalie Nachuha, says Akol, who claims to be a tailor and a carpenter, charged the parents of these children varying fees ranging from 300,000 to 180,000 each to secure free secondary and primary education.

She noted that Akol claimed to be receiving funding from European countries, but when further questioned, he changed his statement, saying he had local funders in Kampala, whom he declined to name.

“On further interrogation, we established that his company, Teso United Group, was a fake organisation that is not registered with any authority, and yet he claims to have existed since the year 2020,” Nachuha explained.

The regional police commander East Kyoga, Damalie Nachuha.

Akol, who was arrested along with over six of his agents, is facing charges of human trafficking, fraud, operating an unlicensed organisation, collecting money from unsuspecting parents, and an aspect of money laundering.

He told the police that he has 150 groups with over 1,000 members, but to the shock of the police, Akol did not know the name of his secretary, treasurer, or vice-chairperson.

“These people come from all over Teso, and I can’t take their names off head. Just allow me access to the files, and I will tell you,” Akol, who claims to be the director, said at the regional police station on Monday afternoon.

Apart from Hadassah Secondary School, Akol had approached another private secondary school in Soroti city, called Echos SS, claiming to offer learners free education.

However, police established that the two secondary schools had no memorandum of understanding with Akol’s organisation.

“We want to prosecute this matter to the end because this practice among unscrupulous people is becoming common in Teso, but as we handle this matter, parents need to take care of conmen promising them hot air,” Nachuha advised.

Her call comes a day after Vice President Jessica Alupo directed police in Teso to arrest conmen making empty promises of education sponsorship.

Police detectives were still gathering more evidence from parents and arresting key suspects who worked with Akol before they are produced in court.