FAKE GOOD SAMARITAN! NGO Boss Jailed for Stealing School Fees Meant for Poor Pupils
Boniface Eyagu in dock, at Ngora Magistrate's Court
The founder of Teso Talent Foundation has been sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to diverting donor funds intended to educate vulnerable children in the Teso sub-region. Boniface Eyagu was convicted by the Ngora Magistrate’s Court after admitting to theft charges arising from the misuse of money donated by United Kingdom-based sponsors to pay school fees for disadvantaged pupils.
According to the prosecution, the case arose after the donors became suspicious of inconsistencies in accountability reports submitted by Eyagu whenever they sent money to support learners. Their concerns deepened after they contacted the administration of Vienna Nursery and Primary School to follow up on the sponsored pupils and discovered that the full amount intended for school fees had not been received.
Prosecutors told court that the donors had entrusted Eyagu, through his organisation, with Shs3.5 million to clear school fees for ten pupils at the school. Instead, Eyagu paid only Shs400,000 to the school and diverted the remaining Shs3.1 million for personal use. During investigations, Eyagu admitted receiving the funds and acknowledged using the balance for his own benefit.
Appearing before Ngora Magistrate Isaac Boniface Abilu, Eyagu pleaded guilty and asked the court for leniency, saying he was willing to refund the money within one month. “I am guilty for having failed to use that money as intended, and I request the court to forgive me and allow me to pay the money back to the complainant. I am a breadwinner taking care of my wife, our young baby and my parents,” Eyagu told court.
The prosecution urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, arguing that misappropriating donor funds discourages investors and development partners from supporting vulnerable communities. “The beneficiaries were pupils who hoped for a better future through education,” the prosecutor submitted.
In sentencing, Magistrate Abilu noted that although the offence carries a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, Eyagu’s guilty plea and cooperation with investigators warranted a reduced sentence. He said Eyagu had been entrusted with safeguarding the interests of vulnerable children but instead betrayed that responsibility.
“You risked their future in your own hands, yet the law requires us to uplift and protect the welfare of children,” the magistrate said. He added that the sentence was intended to deter others who may be tempted to misuse funds meant for vulnerable beneficiaries.
“For that reason, I sentence you to one year in prison and order you to refund the Shs3.1 million to the UK donors within two months,” Abilu ruled. Having spent one day on remand, Eyagu will serve the remaining 11 months and 29 days of his sentence. He is also facing separate investigations in Soroti and Kapelebyong districts over alleged fraud involving the same UK-based donors.
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