A mathematics teacher from East London has been handed an indefinite ban from the profession after being caught with the details of more than 260 stolen bank cards on his personal electronic devices.
Devices Contained Trove of Stolen Data
Louis Kisitu Ssekabira, aged 30, was teaching at Bishop Challoner Catholic School in Tower Hamlets when he accepted a police caution for possession of articles used in fraud in June 2021. The case stemmed from a police raid at his home on 5 May 2020, while he was employed at Droitwich Spa High School in Warwickshire.
During that raid, officers confiscated a MacBook laptop which forensic examination revealed contained 235 sets of bank card details alongside 62 sets of login credentials belonging to other people. Police also seized an iPhone XR, found to hold 11 further card details and two login sets, and an iPhone 5S containing 16 card details and five different credentials.
Conflicting Stories and a Police Caution
On 25 June 2021, Ssekabira accepted the formal police caution. He admitted to officers that he was aware the data was on his devices and that he intended to use it to commit fraud. A police transcript noted he "was planning to commit some sort of fraud" and confirmed no one had forced him to hold the information.
However, he presented a different account to his employers at Bishop Challoner. A senior teacher gave evidence that Ssekabira claimed he had purchased the laptop from Gumtree and discovered the details only when he began using it. He allegedly told staff he felt "sort of excited by this" and showed it to others but did not use the data, acknowledging he should have deleted it.
Teaching Panel Rejects Excuses and Imposes Ban
A professional conduct panel convened by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) thoroughly examined the case. They dismissed Ssekabira's explanation about finding the data randomly, noting it failed to account for why the information was also present on his multiple phones.
The panel determined his conduct fell seriously below the standards expected and risked bringing the teaching profession into disrepute. They concluded it was "more likely than not" he intended to use the details fraudulently and were concerned his remorse was undermined by the inconsistent story he gave his school.
The panel issued an indefinite prohibition order, banning Ssekabira from teaching. He cannot apply to have the order lifted for a minimum of five years. He retains the right to appeal to the High Court within 28 days of receiving official notice.
Despite being reported to the TRA in July 2021, Ssekabira remained at Bishop Challoner until August 2022. His LinkedIn profile indicates he subsequently taught at Isaac Newton Academy in Ilford until September 2024 and later served as Head of Year 10 at St Paul's Academy in Abbey Wood.
