Rukungiri NIRA staff arrested over Shs150,000 extortion
A police officer attached to Rukungiri Police Station holds the arm of Mr. Muhirwe Gideon, an officer attached to the Rukungiri District NIRA offices. Photo/Ronald Kabanza.
What you need to know:
- Mr Ongom confirmed that the suspect was arrested for extorting money from a member of the public by falsely promising to expedite the replacement of a lost National Identity Card within a week.
Mr Muhirwe Gideon, an officer with the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) attached to the Rukungiri District NIRA offices, was on March 24 arrested over extortion following orders from the Rukungiri Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Wilberforce Ongom.
His arrest comes after several complaints from National Identity Card applicants who accused Mr Muhirwe of demanding Shs150,000 from them before offering services.
One of the victims, in an audio clip, said Mr Muhirwe declined to process his application after he failed to raise the Shs150,000.
"I failed to raise Shs150,000 as demanded by Muhirwe, so I had to report my issue to the office of the RDC for assistance because I badly need a National Identification Card," the victim said in the audio recording.
Speaking to Monitor after the arrest, Mr Ongom confirmed that the suspect was arrested for extorting money from a member of the public by falsely promising to expedite the replacement of a lost National Identity Card within a week.
"When it comes to corruption, I pledge my commitment to tackling corruption within government institutions," Mr Ongom said.
He also warned the public against engaging in unauthorized payments for services that are offered free of charge in government offices.
"I am warning the public against engaging in unauthorized transactions for free public services. Always follow the right procedures while applying for services at NIRA offices and report any instances of corruption or misconduct by government officials," Mr Ongom added.
By press time, Mr Muhirwe was still being held at Rukungiri Central Police Station as investigations into the matter continued.
