Charity organisation boss arrested
Sep 10, 2008
Police in Masaka have arrested the director of a Kampala-based needy children care organisation located in Kibuye.
By Dismus Buregyeya
Police in Masaka have arrested the director of a Kampala-based needy children care organisation located in Kibuye.
Siraje Mugerwa allegedly extorted money from parents in Masaka, saying he would enable their children access free education.
The southern regional Police commander, Andrew Sorowen, said the Police had initially arrested the headmaster of Kiyimbwe Primary School, Moses Kawesi, in connection with the case.
Sorowen said Mugerwa was charging sh20,000 as registration fee for each child.
Mugerwa reportedly told parents that the children would study for free from primary to tertiary level.
The Police intervened after money had been collected from 19 parents on September 8, he added.
Sorowen said Kawesi had been used by the organisation to mobilise parents to enroll their children under the programme.
Kawesi said he had responded to an advertisement on the Central Broadcasting Station, an FM radio, which called upon the public to go for free education from the organisation.
However, Mugerwa said he was told by his senior director, Alan Muddu, to go to the school and register children.
The Police and the Masaka Resident District Commissioner, Bamusedde Bwambale, were tipped off by residents in Kiyimbwe about the exercise.
He said they had suspected the organisation to be illegal. After arresting Kawesi, the organisation sent Mugerwa with documents to prove its validity.
The Masaka district officer in charge of CID, Christopher Rugumayo, arrested Mugerwa after discovering that the documents only allowed the organisation to operate within Kampala.
Police in Masaka have arrested the director of a Kampala-based needy children care organisation located in Kibuye.
Siraje Mugerwa allegedly extorted money from parents in Masaka, saying he would enable their children access free education.
The southern regional Police commander, Andrew Sorowen, said the Police had initially arrested the headmaster of Kiyimbwe Primary School, Moses Kawesi, in connection with the case.
Sorowen said Mugerwa was charging sh20,000 as registration fee for each child.
Mugerwa reportedly told parents that the children would study for free from primary to tertiary level.
The Police intervened after money had been collected from 19 parents on September 8, he added.
Sorowen said Kawesi had been used by the organisation to mobilise parents to enroll their children under the programme.
Kawesi said he had responded to an advertisement on the Central Broadcasting Station, an FM radio, which called upon the public to go for free education from the organisation.
However, Mugerwa said he was told by his senior director, Alan Muddu, to go to the school and register children.
The Police and the Masaka Resident District Commissioner, Bamusedde Bwambale, were tipped off by residents in Kiyimbwe about the exercise.
He said they had suspected the organisation to be illegal. After arresting Kawesi, the organisation sent Mugerwa with documents to prove its validity.
The Masaka district officer in charge of CID, Christopher Rugumayo, arrested Mugerwa after discovering that the documents only allowed the organisation to operate within Kampala.