Forgery Scandal Four Arrested in Kakumiro Druring UPDF Recruitment Drive

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1455 EAT on Friday 15 August 2025

Four Arrested in Kakumiro for Presenting Forged Academic Papers During UPDF Recruitment

Four individuals have been arrested in Kakumiro District for allegedly presenting forged academic documents during the ongoing Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) recruitment exercise.

The arrests were made on Wednesday following a verification exercise of the original documents submitted by applicants. The four suspects, whose identities have been withheld to avoid compromising ongoing investigations, were among 50 candidates shortlisted for recruitment.

According to officials, the suspects allegedly presented forged academic credentials, including fake Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) slips, falsified Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificates, counterfeit Senior Four testimonials, and fraudulent national identification cards.

Captain Wilson Kato Agaba, the public information officer for UPDF Recruitment Team 5 in the Bunyoro region, has issued a stern warning against attempts to cheat the system, following the arrest of four individuals in Kakumiro District for presenting forged academic documents.

“We have a professional and dedicated screening team that can easily detect forged academic documents,” Agaba said, stressing that the verification process is thorough and designed to uphold the integrity of the recruitment exercise.

The suspects have been handed over to police for further investigation and will face prosecution.

Agaba also revealed that out of the 504 individuals targeted for recruitment in the Bunyoro sub-region, only 366 were successfully enlisted — a shortfall partly attributed to disqualifications over document fraud.

This incident comes just days after a similar case in Kagadi District, where 13 people — 11 men and two women — were arrested for presenting fake credentials during the same UPDF recruitment exercise. The forged documents included Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) slips, Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) certificates, falsified Senior Four testimonials, and counterfeit national ID cards.

The UPDF has reiterated its commitment to a transparent and merit-based recruitment process, warning that anyone found attempting to use forged documents will face legal consequences.

Invest or Donate towards HICGI New Agency Global Media Establishment – Watch video here