Namayingo: The Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCO chairman for Bubango Parish, Buswale Subcounty in Namayingo was on Friday July 5, 2024, arrested and detained on allegations of exhortion of money from beneficiaries.
Ifentified as Mr Aron Oketch , the SACCO chief was arrested on orders of Namayingo Deputy RDC Trevor Solomon Baleke.
It is alleged that the PDM SACCO chairman has been extorting beneficiaries of PDM, charging them shs30,000 each before he could consider them for the fund.
RDC Beleke emphasises that his office has since received over 30 complaints that SACCO boss had become mean on recommending members.
“We have complaints from over 30 people against him, including members of his own executive who say they have been warning him in vain,” Baleke told this publication.
The commissioner echoed that it is offensive for one to interfere with the government programme.
“No Ugandan is supposed to be charged before receiving PDM funding, and whoever does it doesn’t only commit abuse of office but also sabotages a government program which is not allowed,” he said.
Baleke said; “Oketch shall therefore serve as an example to all other PDM officials in Namayingo who steal from the poor.”
He highlighted that the bad practice is also common in Banda Town Council where he said he has already warned the area LCIII chairman and the Community Development Officer (CDO) after receiving reports that they too have been engaging in the unreligious acts.
At the time of arrest, Oketch was picking money from PDM beneficiaries gathered at Bubango primary school when suspicious individuals tipped authorities who swung into action.
