PLE PAPERS FOR SALE! Six Nabbed, Sent to Luzira

Six people, including five teachers and a student, have been remanded to Luzira Prison over alleged unauthorised possession of Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) papers and related examination materials. The six appeared before City Hall Court in Kampala on Thursday, where Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Nicholas Aisu charged them under Section 25(1) of the Uganda National Examinations Board Act, 2021.

The accused are Dickson Tugeineyo, 35, a teacher from Lusanja on Gayaza Road in Kitetika Parish, Kasangati, Wakiso District; Deogracious Opio, 36, a teacher from Masajja in Makindye Division, Kampala; Ismail Madete, 18, a student from Naburiyiriri Cell, Nkoma Ward, Mbale City Northern Division; William George Olwa, 31, a teacher from Lubugumu Cell, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Wakiso District; Bruno Lyazi, 34, a teacher from Mabombe Village, Mende Parish, Busiro Sub-county, Wakiso District; and Nathan Ssebulonde, 28, alias Jungle, a teacher from Lugazi Village, Lugazi Ward, Katosi Town Council, Mukono District.

The prosecution alleges that between September and October 2026, in Kisaasi, Nakawa Division, Kampala, and other places in Uganda, the six, together with others still at large, possessed or controlled examination papers, materials or information purporting to relate to the content of PLE papers in Mathematics, Social Studies, Integrated Science and English.

Prosecutors further allege that the examination papers, materials and information belonged exclusively to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). Tugeineyo and Ssebulonde pleaded guilty to the charge, while Opio, Madete, Olwa and Lyazi denied the allegations. Their lawyer, Amos Kuuku, asked the court to direct the prosecution to disclose its evidence and said he had instructions to apply for bail.

State Attorney Mercy Yamangusho told the court that investigations were still ongoing and asked for more time. Magistrate Aisu remanded all six to Luzira Prison until October 19, 2026, when they will return to court for mention, presentation of brief facts and hearing of the bail application.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to Shs20 million, or both upon conviction. The case comes as Uganda enters another examination season, with Senior Four candidates beginning their Uganda Certificate of Education examinations with briefing today, followed by the writing of papers on Monday.

Primary Seven candidates will begin their PLE examinations with briefing on October 30, 2026, ahead of the examination papers. The alleged possession of examination papers has therefore raised fresh concerns about the security of examination materials as UNEB prepares to administer the national primary examinations.