Internal Audit Uncovers UGX 214 Million In Unaccounted Cash Payments And UGX 6.6 Million In Fraudulent Student Disbursements
Gulu University has interdicted its Dean of Students, Dr. Stella Amero Eduan, following the findings of two internal audit reports presented to the university’s Audit and Risk Management Committee — reports that allege serious financial irregularities totalling hundreds of millions of shillings in her cost centre.
The interdiction letter, dated April 21, 2026, was issued by the Office of the University Secretary under reference GU/CR/10952 and signed following deliberations at the 13th Meeting of the Audit and Risk Management Committee held on April 17, 2026 at the University Council Boardroom, under Minute 6/13/ARMC/2026.
The committee reviewed two internal audit reports — one on the Gulu University Medical Unit and one on the Dean of Students and Student Affairs — and agreed that the matters raised were grave enough to require immediate and thorough investigation.
What The Audit Found
The internal audit presented eight specific findings against the Dean of Students office, each representing a serious breach of financial accountability and institutional duty.
The first finding concerns missing payment vouchers in Dr. Amero’s cost centre — a basic but fundamental failure in financial record-keeping that makes it impossible to account for how funds were spent.
The second finding involves unaccounted funds that were processed and paid directly to Dr. Amero’s bank account for official activities — meaning money meant for institutional purposes was received personally without adequate documentation of how it was used.
The third finding is among the most serious in monetary terms: cash payments worth UGX 214,030,826 were made in respect of student-related expenditure, but these payments are unaccounted for.
The fourth finding involves irregular payments for Guild activities amounting to UGX 87,665,600 — funds meant to support student governance that were processed outside proper channels.
The fifth finding alleges a fraudulent payment of UGX 6,610,224 with a lesser actual payment made to students — meaning students received less than what was officially processed on their behalf, with the difference unaccounted for.
The sixth finding — and perhaps the most morally troubling — is the non-existence of approved rates of allowances for students, which Dr. Amero should have developed. This finding is compounded by what the letter describes as a grave dereliction of duty: the failure to disburse allowances to students with disabilities under her care.
The seventh finding involves irregular procurement procedures and cash procurements — bypassing proper procurement processes in ways that create opportunities for financial mismanagement.
The eighth finding concerns the non-implementation of the Work Plan, even where funds were processed and released. The letter explicitly cites the failure to disburse allowances to students with disabilities as an example of this dereliction.
The Implications For Students
The finding that students with disabilities did not receive their allowances is the detail that will resonate most deeply with the student community. Students with disabilities are among the most financially vulnerable on any campus — their allowances are not supplementary income but essential support that enables them to participate fully in university life.
The allegation that funds were processed for these students but never disbursed — while the Dean of Students’ office simultaneously shows evidence of fraudulent payments and unaccounted cash — raises deeply serious questions about where that money went.
What Happens Next
The Audit and Risk Management Committee has agreed that the matters require immediate and thorough investigation. The interdiction of Dr. Amero removes her from duty while that investigation proceeds — a standard procedural step that allows the university to investigate without the subject of the investigation remaining in a position of institutional authority.
At the time of publication, Gulu University had not issued a public statement on the matter. Campusbee will follow this story and publish updates as the investigation develops.
