POLICE in Lukulu District has arrested an 18-year-old Grade 12 pupil of Lukulu Day Secondary School for allegedly stealing 35 by 50 kilogramme bags of maize worth K17,500  meant for the school feeding programme at Lukulu Primary School.

The suspect of Sibupiwa area, is alleged to have stolen the maize from the school storeroom.

Western Province Police Commanding Officer, Rae Hamoonga, confirmed the development to ZANIS in a statement, saying preliminary investigations indicate that the school storeroom was broken into by the suspect, who allegedly gained entry using keys.

Mr Hamoonga said the matter was reported to Lukulu Police Station on March 14th, 2026, by a teacher from Lukulu Primary School.

He explained that on March 13, 2026 around 17:45 hours, after knocking off from work, the class teacher locked the storeroom and later placed the keys in the Headteacher’s office where they are usually kept.

Mr Hamoonga disclosed that the following day around 10:00 hours, a teacher who was on his way to church with his family noticed two individuals loading a bag of maize onto a motorbike near the school kitchen close to the storeroom.

“The two individuals were identified as the suspect and a motorbike rider identified as Fred Kapalu. Upon noticing the teacher approaching, the two fled in different directions,” Mr Hamoonga said.

He added that another man identified as Lubasi Kakanda aged 29 of Ilute Compound, also arrived pushing a wheelbarrow to collect bags of maize, when questioned, Kakanda disclosed that he had been hired by the suspect to transport the maize.