Amolatar officials steal Shs36.6 million PDM cash

Police in Amolatar District have detained four suspects to aid ongoing criminal investigations into the theft of funds earmarked for beneficiaries of Parish Development Model (PDM).

The suspects, who include, among others, a community development officer (CDO), were arrested from Aputi Sub-county by detectives from Amolatar Central Police Station last Thursday. 
 
They were arrested in connection with the theft of Shs36.6 million disbursed to Aputi Sub-county for beneficiaries of the government initiative aimed at improving household income.
 
The North Kyoga Regional Police Commander, Mr Deo Obura, said some suspects are on the run.

The Amolatar LC5 chairman, Mr Geoffrey Ocen, said syndicate corruption involving leaders of saving and credit cooperative organisations (Saccos) and implementing agents  of PDM is hampering its progress in sub-counties.
 
“As a district, we are facing a number of challenges in the implementation of PDM programme. This is as a result of high level of connivance by Sacco leaders and CDOs,” he told this publication last Friday.

Mr Ocen added: They are causing us problems to the extent that any potential beneficiary, who is not able to raise some percentage of that money, or consent to give some percentage of that money to the Sacco leaders or the community development officers, is  not benefiting.”
 
He said in one of the parishes in Aputi Sub-county, the implementing agents disbursed Shs36.6 million to themselves and other people,  to the detriment of the genuine beneficiaries.
 
“When I got a complaint from a whistleblower, we had a meeting with the chief administrative officer and we alerted the police. What was happening is that the parish chief for that parish is an elder, about 58 years old. He does not have any knowledge of computers and does not even own a smartphone. So, the CDO for that sub-county took that advantage. Now the CDO is also doing the work of the parish chief,” Mr Ocen said.
 
He said the CDO is now under custody at Amolatar Central Police Station for allegedly manipulating the Sacco leaders to issue loans to ‘ghost beneficiaries’ 

“At the moment, we have arrested the CDO, we have arrested the chairperson of the Sacco and beneficiaries who were not vetted by the Sacco committees,” he said.
 
Mr Ocen added: “When you look at the list of these 36 beneficiaries, they had varying amounts. Others got Shs800,000, others got Shs900, 000 and the highest got Shs1 million. But they were not among the category of people targeted by the government to benefit from this money.”
 
The district leadership said in some sub-counties, CDOs had agents spread within the parishes and the agents were tasked with the responsibility of looking for people with national identity cards with interest in  accessing PDM money.
 
“So, the national ID cards would be used as security and to also process the money. Whereby, you give your national ID card to that agent, they initiate you through the process but when you get the money, you get back to the CDO. If you get Shs1 million, you pay Shs300, 000 then you go back to the agent and get back your national ID  card,” Mr Ocen said. 
 
“Right now, police are in the field tracking them. Others have crossed the lake, others are hiding in the bush, but I believe we are going to get all of them. And for those we have got will be charged in court tomorrow,” he added.
 
There are 85 parishes in Amolatar District. PDM money has been disbursed to almost half of the parishes.
 
Mr Fred Ogwang, a resident of Etam Sub-county, said the challenges in the implementation of PDM cut across the entire district.
 
“Here in Etam Sub-county, I have not heard anybody saying he or she has benefited from the programme. The majority of people that formed themselves into Sacco groups have abandoned them over concerns that the process of accessing the money is lengthy and that there are so many charges being levied before one can access the money,” he said.
 
Mr Francis Odoki Okello Rwotlonyo, the resident district commissioner (RDC), said Amolatar is one of the districts in northern Uganda to officially launch PDM and the beneficiaries started receiving the money.

“And of course we have been monitoring and talking to the different stakeholders, especially the people that are concerned– the parish chiefs and CDOs to handle PDM with care. We have been engaging the different stakeholders on the same but unfortunately some parish chiefs have taken advantage of the beneficiaries’ [ignorance to extort money from them],” he said on Monday.
 
He added: “For instance, in Aputi Sub-county, I’m told the CDO was actually taking money from the beneficiaries. It is alleged that when you get money, you give him between Shs200,000 and Shs300,000 in kickbacks. That is why I have ordered for his arrest.”  
 
The RDC said the district security committee, which he chairs, is still investigating a number of people accused of misusing and stealing PDM cash.
 
“We also had a similar issue in Muntu Sub-county. So, I have ordered the district police commander (DPC) to arrest them as investigations continue. If they are found to be doing that, then of course we shall have no option than to ensure that they are prosecuted,” Mr Rwotlonyo said.
 
Dr Agnes Atim Apea, Amolatar Woman Member of Parliament, said there is a need for mass sensitisation on PDM because most people think it is ‘free money’.

“I came up with the idea as a Member of Parliament to see how I can contribute to preparing our people, changing their mindset but also training them on financial literacy but also the elements of savings and lending as we prepare for PDM,” Ms Apea said.
 
She added: “So, my plan is to empower them economically, give them some little seed capital to start something so that if any government programme is coming,..people know how to invest.” 
 
The lawmaker made the remarks at the launch of village savings and loan associations at Abarikori Village, Agikdak Sub-county last Friday.
 
During the ceremony, Dr Atim gave Shs135 million to 900 village saving groups mainly to encourage them to embrace the culture of saving.  
 
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