Fresh details have emerged regarding the circumstances under which the Soroti University Academic Registrar James Gregory Okello came to develop felonious intentions that saw him connive to steal University property inclusive of a bull and some goats.
As this news website reported yesterday, Okello was apprehended and paraded before court which remanded him to Soroti government prison on Wednesday and he is expected back to court today Friday. This bull was originally bought to be fed on guests the day President Museveni was to come and do ground breaking for the construction of the only government University in Teso. This is some three years ago.
He didn’t come and instead Vice President Edward Sekandi came. This prompted the University management to postpone slaughtering it vowing to keep until Museveni will get time to visit. It’s expected the big man, whose First Lady Janet Museveni’s Education Ministry office has closely been monitoring the progress at the University, will eventually visit to preside over the grand opening. With the FX Lubanga-led governing Council in place and the civil works nearly completed on top of NCHE approving the academic programs, it’s widely expected the big man from Rwakitura will soon drive to Soroti to publicly urge the Itesos and the rest of Ugandans to embrace the University that will mostly teach science and medicine courses.
BACK TO OKELLO:
So the management decided to keep the bull for as long as it will take for Museveni to visit. Now taking advantage of the absence of other University bosses who are away in Kampala, elderly Okello decided to act in a manner that would advantage him personally at the expense of his employer. He three years ago quit Makerere (he was Assistant registrar there for decades) to take up work at Soroti University where he was widely seen as the patron of ¾ of the workers who are Kumam from Kaberamaido/Karachi. He rang one of the ladies working at the University farm where the bull was being kept alerting her to expect some guys from Soroti town that were coming to take the bull. This being a boss, the farm lady couldn’t object.
The guys, who told police on being arrested that they had paid Shs900,000 for the bull, couldn’t believe their eyes realizing the bull they intended to slaughter the next day was nowhere to be seen. They looked around only to discover the bull had mysteriously escaped back to the University farm.
They came following and grabbed it taking it back. It was at this point that the police, whose presence was recently increased after thefts intensified, intercepted them. They were asked where they are taking the University bull and they innocently said “we bought it from the University.” Police inquired who exactly had sold it to them since the officers mandated to dispose of government property in such a manner, backed by a top management minute, were away in Kampala.
The Academic Registrar James Gregory Okello was called in. He came burning with a rage and instead of being remorseful; he just started grilling the policemen. “Who are you to question a big man like me? I’m the boss. I’m in charge here of all University property. You are acting as who in this matter? What are your titles by the way? This is my docket and not a police docket at all,” the ill-fated 56 year old Okello arrogantly answered police.
This angered the police officers and a physical confrontation ensued resulting into Mr. Okello being dragged to the cells where criminal charges were preferred against him under file number CRB/058/2018. It’s said if he didn’t react arrogantly, the police officers would perhaps have acted more leniently and Mr. Okello would by now be home carrying on with life as usual but an eyewitness says the arrogance with which he reacted complicated matters for him.”
