24 victims of PDM extortion injured in truck crash en route to court
One of the survivors wheeled into a ward at Kabwohe Health Centre IV in Sheema District. PHOTO/MILTON BANDIHO
What you need to know:
- At least 20 of the injured were rushed to Kabwohe Health Centre IV, while the other four were referred to Mbarara regional referral hospital in critical condition.
At least 24 people have been hospitalized after the driver of a truck they were travelling in lost control before it overturned on Rukanga road, Kabwohe town in Sheema Municipality, Sheema District.
The injured were among 40 residents of Masyoro Parish in Kyangyenyi Sub-county, Sheema District, who were travelling to the Magistrate's Court for a hearing of a case in which a treasurer of their Sacco is accused of extorting money from them for Parish Development Model (PDM) registration.
"The accident involved a motor vehicle that was hired by the residents to transport them to Kagango Chief Magistrate's Court in Kabwohe town to attend a court session. The residents are part of the beneficiaries of Masyoro Parish Development Model Sacco, who wanted to attend a hearing involving their SACCO treasurer, Ms Juliet Katushabe, whom they accused of embezzling PDM funds," said Mr Marcial Tumusiime, the greater Bushenyi police spokesperson.
According to police, the speeding driver of the ill-fated vehicle lost control after failing to negotiate a sharp corner before it veered off the road and overturned.
At least 20 of the injured were rushed to Kabwohe Health Centre IV, while the other four were referred to Mbarara regional referral hospital in critical condition.
Katushabe was arrested two weeks ago on the orders of the Sheema District Deputy Resident Commissioner, Mr Sam Orikunda, following multiple complaints from the Sacco members accusing her of soliciting money from them.
One of the members, Ms Goreti Tibakoraho, 64, claimed that Katushabe took her Shs700,000.
"We were picked from Omukarere trading centre in Masyoro to come to Kabwohe and give our testimonies against Ms Katushabe, who extorted money from all of us," she said.
Sheema Chief Magistrate, Ms Lucy Kabahuka, remanded Katushabe, who is facing 85 counts of fraud, to Nyakashambya government prison until May 8, 2025, when she is expected to be returned to court.
