The founder of Teso Talent Foundation has been sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to stealing donor funds intended to educate vulnerable children in the Teso sub-region.Boniface Eyagu was convicted by the Ngora Magistrate’s court after admitting to charges arising from the misappropriation of money donated by United Kingdom-based sponsors to pay school fees for disadvantaged pupils.According to the prosecution, the case began after the donors became suspicious of inconsistencies in accountability reports submitted by Eyagu whenever they remitted funds to support the learners.Their concerns prompted them to contact the administration of Vienna Nursery and Primary School, where they discovered that the full amount intended for the sponsored pupils’ school fees had not been received.Court heard that the donors had entrusted Eyagu, through his organisation, with Shs 3.5 million to clear tuition fees for ten pupils at the school. Instead, prosecutors said, he paid only Shs 400,000 to the school and diverted the remaining Shs 3.1 million for personal use.During investigations, Eyagu admitted receiving the money and acknowledged spending the balance for his own benefit. Appearing before Ngora grade one magistrate Isaac Boniface Abilu, Eyagu pleaded guilty and asked the court for leniency, saying he was prepared to refund the money within one month.“I am guilty for having failed to use that money as intended, and I request the court to forgive me and allow me to pay the money back to the complainant. I am a breadwinner taking care of my wife, our young baby and my parents,” Eyagu told the court.The prosecution urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, arguing that the theft of donor funds undermines confidence among development partners and discourages future support for vulnerable communities.“The beneficiaries were pupils who hoped for a better future through education,” the prosecutor submitted.In sentencing, magistrate Abilu noted that although the offence attracts a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, Eyagu’s guilty plea and cooperation with investigators warranted a reduced sentence.The magistrate said Eyagu had been entrusted with protecting the interests of vulnerable children but instead abused that trust.“You risked their future in your own hands, yet the law requires us to uplift and protect the welfare of children,” Abilu said.He added that the sentence was intended to serve as a deterrent to others who may be tempted to misuse funds meant for vulnerable beneficiaries.“For that reason, I sentence you to one year in prison and order you to refund the Shs 3.1 million to the UK donors within two months,” the magistrate ruled.Having spent one day on remand, Eyagu will serve the remaining 11 months and 29 days of his sentence. He is also facing separate investigations in Soroti and Kapelebyong districts over alleged fraud involving the same UK-based donors.The post Charity founder jailed for stealing Shs 3.1m meant for vulnerable pupils in Teso appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.