Three arrested in Mitooma over extortion
Police in Mitooma district have arrested three chairpersons of the Parish Development Model (PDM) Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) and are pursuing additional suspects for allegedly extorting funds from PDM beneficiaries.
The arrested individuals are Benon Bagorogoza a resident of Furuma, Mutara Town Council, Justus Kamuza of Rurehe South PDM SACCO and James Turyamureba of Kiyanga PDM Sacco. They were detained following a consultative meeting with beneficiaries held yesterday October 27 in Ruhinda South and Ruhinda North held.
Umaru Muhanguzi, the deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Mitooma who led the operation indicated that the detained trio were present at the meeting but there is an extensive list of others being sought including parish chiefs and various SACCO leaders.
During a gathering with residents and parish chiefs at Bitereko Church of Uganda, Ronald Tibingana Kato, the Mitooma District Internal Security Officer expressed concerns that many parish chiefs are exploiting their positions by claiming lack of data as an excuse to extract money from beneficiaries. He highlighted that these officials had received 100,000 shillings in facilitation to assist them in addressing such issues.
Fred Kizito Mukasa, the Chief Administrative Officer of Mitooma district confirmed that he has already suspended several parish chiefs implicated in extortion. He also stated that action will now extend to PDM Sacco chairpersons, whom he accused of making extortion a habitual practice.
