Kwania Leaders under investigation for extortion in Lango war debt claims
Martin Ongom, a resident of Barokango Cell in Western Ward, Inomo Town Council, claimed that the accused extorted between Shs 30,000 to Shs 150,000 from him and other beneficiaries under the pretence of issuing data cards needed for processing compensation claims
KWANIA, August 27, 2024 – Officers at Inomo Police Station in Kwania District are investigating Lillian Abwot, the town clerk of Inomo Town Council, along with four others for allegedly extorting money from individuals claiming compensation for the war losses.
The accused include Abwot, Erick Ebong, the Male Youth Councillor of Inomo Town Council; Geoffrey Okiro, Inomo Town Council GISO; Milton Otoo, Coordinator for Lango War Debt Claimants in Inomo Eastern Ward; and Peter Odongo, Coordinator for Inomo Subcounty. They are charged with selling war claimant data cards for Shs 150,000 each, which contravenes the established guidelines.
Reports suggest that Ebong, Otoo, Odongo, and others allegedly conspired to extort over Shs 5 million from more than 50 war debt claimants within Inomo Town Council and Inomo Subcounty.
Martin Ongom, a resident of Barokango Cell in Western Ward, Inomo Town Council, claimed that the accused extorted between Shs 30,000 to Shs 150,000 from him and other beneficiaries under the pretence of issuing data cards needed for processing compensation claims.
“I filled out these forms in 2011 and was later asked to pay Shs 150,000 for a data card. Ebong and the team are demanding between Shs 30,000 and Shs 150,000 for something that should be provided free of charge,” Ongom stated.
Another claimant, Santa Okwir, reported that she was unable to obtain the data card for compensation due to the financial demands made by the Lango war coordinators.
Owiny Kamilo, the Officer in Charge at Inomo Police Station, confirmed that an investigation was underway. “A case of obtaining money by false pretense has been filed against the suspects under SD Ref. 09/19/08/2024. Eight complainants have already given statements, and 33 more are expected to do so,” Kamilo said.
Walter Ocen, LCIII Chairman of Inomo Town Council, has pledged to see the investigation through to its conclusion.
All accused individuals have denied the allegations. Town Clerk Lillian Abwot directed our inquiries to LCIII Chairman Walter Ocen when approached for comment.
On his part, Ebong dismissed the claims as baseless and politically motivated, aiming to damage his reputation. “These allegations are unfounded and politically driven. I am running for the LCIII seat in the upcoming 2026 elections, and I believe this is an attempt to undermine my campaign,” Ebong said in a recent telephone interview.
In February 2023, Lira High Court ordered government to compensate 5,505 war claimants from the Lango Subregion with billions of shillings. The compensation was intended to cover damages to livestock, and property from the conflict between 1986 and 1994, as well as the 2003 Lord’s Resistance Army [LRA] incursion.
In April 2024, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka reported to Parliament that Shs 2.8 billion allocated for war debt claimants in Acholi, Lango, and Teso subregions had bounced back due to some beneficiaries closing their bank accounts or having dormant bank accounts.
The funds were part of a larger allocation released by the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, following the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs receiving Shs 84 billion for the fiscal years 2021/2022 to 2023/2024, distributed among 35,037 claimants.
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