An immigrant from Uganda has been arraigned on 30 felony rape and incest charges

Associated Press:

The head of Lowell High School's math department and a prominent chess player has been ordered held on $1 million bail today after being arraigned on 30 felony rape and incest charges.

Severine Wamala, 45, of Nashua, was arrested Tuesday on 19 counts of incest and 11 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault.

Wamala was put on paid administrative leave from the Massachusetts school, where he is a teacher and head of the math department, school Superintendent Karla Brooks Baehr said.

Detective Lt. Richard Sprankle said each of the 30 charges carried a maximum of 10 years to 20 years in prison.

Wamala is accused of sexually assaulting three young women, two now in their teens and one in her early 20s.

Police said one of the women had reported that Wamala began assaulting her five years ago when she was 10.

Sprankle said Lowell police also were investigating.

In addition to teaching, Wamala organizes NorthEast Chess tournaments around the region, and runs the high school's chess club.

His daughter and two sons all are nationally ranked chess players, according to various chess Web sites.

Wamala is a native of Uganda who became a U.S. citizen after immigrating in 1988 to get his doctorate at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell.

Lowell, Mass., Teacher charged with rape

Teacher Faces Rape, Incest Charges

Chess champ can't keep a poker face