KAMPALA, UGANDA: Police in Kampala have arrested the headteacher of New Crest Junior At Kibedi Day and Boarding Primary School after last week’s fire outbreak at the school claimed four pupils, injuring others.
READ: Four children dead, scores injured in Kawempe school fire
The Headteacher identified as Mr. Twaha Sseruwu, the teacher who was on duty Ahmed Ssengooba and the school warden Hamid Kabibi, whereas the school director, Hajji Abdu Kibedi, and the KCCA Inspector of Schools in Kawempe have been summoned to record statements over the matter
Addressing the media in Kampala on Monday, CP Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson said the headteacher was arrested with two others to help the force in investigations.
According to Enanga, preliminary investigations point out that there was an act of negligence on the side of the school management and this could have escalated the matters after the dormitory caught fire. The inspector of schools has been summoned to explain whether the school had been inspected well, including the dormitory before allowing it to operate.
“We want to express our deepest sympathies to the families of children who lost their lives in the school fires. All of the fire incidents are under investigation. At Kibedi Primary School, Kawempe, we found out that the school was running at risk. The girls’ dormitory was quite congested,” Enanga said.
” The boys’ dormitory that was not affected had only one exit. We have closed the school. Three are in police custody, including the headmaster. We have also summoned the Inspector of Schools in Kawempe to determine whether the inspection was done,” he added.
It is alleged that the fire at Kibedi Day and Boarding School started at around 3 am last Saturday from one of the female pupils’ dormitories.
According to police, school management always report to security any incidents of sabotage, conflicts, and indiscipline that could lead to the burning of schools, which the management of the school did not do, and instead tried to manage the fire locally.
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