Ten students from Oleba Seed Secondary School in Maracha district are currently in police custody following allegations of maliciously damaging school property.
The incident occurred last week after a riot broke out, during which the students reportedly vandalized both the classroom and administration blocks. The unrest ensued upon their return from the district post-primary athletics championships hosted by Yivu Secondary School.
Joshua Kananura, the Maracha District Police Commander, confirmed that the students were apprehended from the school premises located in Oleba Town Council on Thursday. They were handed over to the police by the school’s Board of Governors (BOG) disciplinary committee.
“We have the students in our custody at Maracha Central Police Station on charges of malicious property damage,” Kananura stated.
He further explained that the charges of malicious property damage have been preferred against the students, who will be presented before the court once investigations are concluded.
An anonymous member of the disciplinary committee revealed that the decision to involve the police came after the accused students denied their involvement during disciplinary proceedings.
“The students refused to admit their role in the vandalism of school property during our disciplinary meeting, prompting us to escalate the matter to the police for further interrogation,” the source disclosed.
Section 335 (1) of the Penal Code Act stipulates that any person who willfully and unlawfully destroys or damages property commits an offense punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, if no other punishment is specified.
