KWANIA – Police at Kwania Central Police Station are holding in custody executive members of Teduka ward PDM SACCO in Aduku town council for extorting money from beneficiaries amounting to Shs 3,150,000.
Among those in police custody are SACCO chairperson, Marry Akullo Olomo, vice-chairperson Thomas Olinga, the general secretary Tom Ekwang, Treasurer Agnes Alia and the loan officer, Doreen Auma.
It is alleged that the SACCO leaders on Saturday ferried 63 SACCO members to Lira City to withdraw the PDM money from the Post Bank Uganda where the victims have accounts.
It is alleged the arrested SACCO leaders wanted a kickback of Shs 50,000 from each of the 63 beneficiaries, which is contrary to the PDM guidelines.
One of the SACCO members who pleaded for anonymity said, “We all paid for transport but after removing money from ATM cards, the SACCO leaders collected Shs 50,000 from each one of us as a kickback.”
The Kwania resident district commissioner Richard Arikwanga Noon, led an operation that led to the arrest of the SACCO leaders who are now accused of obtaining money by false pretence.
Arikwanga warned PDM SACCO leaders in the district to desist from extorting money from the PDM SACCO members, saying they will face the wrath of the law.
“This case should be an eye-opener to all those PDM SACCO leaders who are doing the same thing. This is a clear sabotage of the government programme. Let the money go to the beneficiaries,” he said.
Kwania district police commander, Charles Mugisha said the culprits are being held for obtaining money by false pretence under case SD Ref. 14/11/07/2023 as investigations continue.
Geoffrey Alex Ogwal Adyebo, Kwania district LCV chairman said, “We are planning to meet all the SACCO Leaders on Friday to sensitise them. While launching PDM I told them this money is an investment fund, use it for the intended purpose, and don’t demand kickback from beneficiaries because this is a loan.”
Disbursement of PDM funds in Kwania was launched on Monday by Gender and Labour Minister Betty Amongi.
A total of 78 out of the 1,364 PDM SACCO members with accounts at Post Bank were cleared to access the funds, according to Catharine Akello, Kwania district principal commercial officer.
49 Parish SACCOs in Kwania are registered to benefit from the programme intended to move 3.5 million households still trapped in the subsistence economy to the money economy.
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