Thirteen Arrested in Kagadi Over Forged Academic Papers in UPDF Recruitment

Thirteen people have been arrested in Kagadi District for presenting forged academic documents during the ongoing Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) recruitment exercise. The arrests followed verification of the original documents presented by candidates.

The group, comprising 11 men and two women, presented fake Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) slips, forged Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificates, falsified testimonials for those who allegedly sat Senior Four in 2024, and counterfeit identification cards.

Kagadi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Nanshemeza Caroline condemned the act, describing it as unnecessary given the availability of free primary and secondary education in Uganda. “Presenting fake academic documents is a crime in this country. Why resort to such actions when we have free education? I urge parents and guardians to take advantage of government programmes to ensure their children receive the education they need,” she said.

The suspects have been handed over to the police for investigation.

Captain Wilson Kato Agaba, Public Information Officer for UPDF Recruitment Team 5 in the Bunyoro Region, warned against attempting to cheat the process. “We have a professional and dedicated screening team that can easily detect forged academic documents. Don’t risk bringing them to the recruitment centre,” he cautioned.

Out of 88 shortlisted candidates, 61 including four females, were successfully recruited in Kagadi. The recruitment team will move to Kibaale District before concluding the exercise in Kakumiro District later this week.