35 students in Luanar fees scam
The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) has said the number of students currently being investigated for forging bank deposit slips for their tuition fees has reached 35.
University officials first became aware of the trick two weeks ago and initially 20 students were identified, before 10 more were added to the list.
The University’s Registrar, Phillip Kaonda, said five more students have been identified.
“The number of students being investigated has now reached 35. The most important thing is that the students have revealed the mastermind of the trick. The issue is currently with fiscal police. Some key people are yet to be arrested,” Kaonda said.
According to him, the person who was behind the scam was a once a student at the University but was withdrawn on academic grounds.
Meanwhile, Kaonda has said the University will from Tuesday commence disciplinary hearing of the students involved.
“Since there are many students, the hearings will be conducted in three days. But so far, we have established that the students were being cheated that they will get scholarships, after depositing any money to the bank. That is shocking. As students of this institution, they were supposed to know better how scholarships are offered,” Kaonda said.
In an earlier interview, Kaonda said the students currently being probed were adding three zeros on the deposit slips to the amount they were depositing at the bank.
According to Kaonda, currently generic students pay about K362,000 per academic year while mature students part with about K700,000.
Education rights activist Benedicto Kondowe said what has happened at a Luanar is an indication that many students are not getting loans from The Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Board.
He, however, condemned the students’ conduct.
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