The Mityana Chief Magistrate, Her Worship Grace Wakooli, has denied a bail application to three teachers who were arrested last week for possessing unauthorized examination material in Mityana.

This development was confirmed by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) in a statement released on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

According to Jennifer Musamba Kalule, the UNEB Principal Public Relations Officer, the trio are identified as Thomas Onyoto of Hillside Kalonga S.S., David Sekiranda, and Livingstone Kambugu of Bujjubi S.S. in Mityana.

Kalule stated that the bail applications were denied because the sureties presented were not substantial.

“The bail application was rejected on grounds that the sureties presented by the accused were not substantial as required by law, and the State Attorney, therefore, requested for more time to validate the credentials of the sureties,” she said.

She noted that the trio were arrested during last week’s Chemistry Practical paper for the UCE New Curriculum examinations.

“The three were allegedly found by a UNEB scout, with a copy of the chemistry examination paper, inside the laboratory, where the preparations for the Chemistry Practical were underway,” Kalula said.

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By law, the act violates the UNEB Act, Cap. 259, Section 25; however, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared in court on October 22, 2024.

She further underlined that anyone found in possession of exam papers or materials is guilty of an offense under Section 25(1) of the UNEB Act and faces a maximum fine of one thousand currency points, or a maximum sentence of five years in prison, or both. Ten million shillings is equal to five thousand currency points.

The accused were remanded to Namukozi prison in Mityana until October 29th, 2024.