The Territorial Police in Mityana District have opened investigations into an alleged case of theft and fraud involving Henry Ssemakula, the director of Bizmark High School in Mityana Municipality, who is accused of embezzling money meant for the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) registration of Senior Four students.
Preliminary investigations indicate that in April 2025, Ssemakula collected Shs270,000 from each of seven Senior Four students for UNEB registration but failed to remit the funds or register the candidates.
Since April, he had reportedly assured the students that registration had been completed and that they would sit for their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams at Kalangalo Secondary School, given that Bizmark High School lacks a UNEB center number.
However, on October 12, 2025, Ssemakula allegedly confessed to the students that he had not registered them, effectively barring them from sitting for the national exams.
The distressed students then reported the matter to police.
“The victims had been misled for months, and only realized shortly before the start of exams that they had been duped,” said SP Racheal Kawala, the Wamala Regional Police Spokesperson.
“We are actively pursuing the suspect to ensure he is brought to justice. Such actions are not only criminal but also destroy the future of innocent learners.”
Further inquiries revealed that Bizmark High School operates on a small scale, with only seven Senior Four students, and is run almost single-handedly by Ssemakula, who doubles as the director, headteacher, bursar, cook, and security guard.
Part-time teachers are reportedly hired from nearby schools to conduct lessons.
Police have opened a case file and intensified efforts to track down the suspect, who remains on the run.
“This is a serious offense because it involves the misuse of education funds and betrayal of public trust,” SP Kawala added.
“We urge all parents and guardians to verify the authenticity of schools and ensure proper UNEB registration to avoid falling victim to such fraud.”
The incident has sparked outrage among parents and education officials in Mityana, who are calling for stricter supervision of private schools to prevent the exploitation of learners.