A 75-year-old man and two others have been arrested for allegedly obtaining money by false pretense from Parish Development Model beneficiaries.
The three are Emmanuel Ngobi, alias Kiwerera, 49 years old and the chairperson of the Kiwani Parish Development Model SAACO; Isma Kabenena, the vice-chairperson, 32 years old; and Wilberforce Kasisa, 75, the secretary. They were picked up by the police following complaints from members of the public.
The trio is believed to have extorted money ranging from Shillings 30,000 to 180,000, claiming it was mandatory savings for the SAACO group.
According to a police source at Namutumba Central Police Station, who preferred to remain anonymous, the majority of the beneficiaries who fell victim are elderly persons who lacked information about government programs.
“They took advantage of their ignorance to coerce them into paying money before receiving the Parish Development Model cash,” he said.
The Kiwani Parish Development Model SAACO group has 156 members.
Some of the members who fell victim to the fraud have been identified as Florence Kalende, 70; Godfrey Kyairu, 76; Samba Mulyasime, 77; Eric Kakungulu; Damali Kasubo, 78; Janet Nedube, 82; and Annet Namukwaya, 66.
The operation was conducted by the police in collaboration with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit operatives.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit legal officer, Wycleaf Mukama, said similar operations will be conducted in districts across the entire Busoga sub-region to ensure that all individuals found guilty of extorting funds from PDM beneficiaries are prosecuted and charged before the courts of law.
The three had been on the run after evading arrest during a similar operation conducted by the police in collaboration with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit early last month.
The three were later charged and remanded to Iganga Central Prison on charges of obtaining money by false pretense from Parish Development Model beneficiaries after appearing before Iganga Grade One Magistrate Yunus Ndiwalana.
The three pleaded not guilty to all 55 counts read before them by the chief magistrate and were remanded to Iganga Central Prison until August 27, when the case will come up for mention again.
