Three Masaka District officials remanded over PDM funds theft
Masaka District officials appear before court over accusations of stealing PDM funds and abuse of office. PHOTO | MALIK FAHAD JJINGO
What you need to know:
- The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested bail. However, the state prosecutor informed the court that investigations were complete and requested that the case be scheduled for hearing.
Masaka Magistrate's Court has remanded three individuals, including the Masaka District focal person for the Parish Development Model (PDM), over charges of neglect of duty and theft of PDM funds.
John Rogers Mutebi, Joseph Bbale, and John Matovu appeared before Masaka Grade One Magistrate Joshua Twongyeirwe on Monday, where they were read three charges of theft and neglect of duty related to PDM funds.
Prosecution, led by State Attorney Abraham Akande Kaho, alleges that Mr Matovu, the Masaka District Agricultural Officer and PDM focal person between 2022 and 2024, neglected his supervisory role in monitoring the activities and progress of PDM Saccos in Masaka District. This failure allegedly led to significant financial losses for the Saccos.
Both Mr Mutebi and Mr Bbale are accused of stealing funds intended for PDM from Sacco members in Bukakata Sub-County, Masaka District, between December 2023 and October 2024.
The prosecution further alleges that in October 2024, at Bukibonga Village, Bukakata Sub-County, Mr Mutebi stole Shs 50,000 of PDM funds from a Sacco member, Moses Ssekabira, after promising to help him access his PDM money.
In December 2023, Mr Bbale, in Makonzi Village, Bukakata Sub-County, allegedly stole Shs 950,000 in PDM funds from Sacco member Godfrey Mukasa.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested bail. However, the state prosecutor informed the court that investigations were complete and requested that the case be scheduled for hearing.
Magistrate Twongyeirwe granted the prosecution’s request and adjourned the case to December 23, 2024.
The three suspects, along with other district officials out on bond, were arrested during a joint inspection tour to address service delivery gaps and hold a community meeting (Baraza) in Greater Masaka District and City on November 23, 2024. The tour, led by Ms. Rose Lilly Akello, the State Minister for Ethics and Integrity, led to the arrest of several district and city officials following accusations of gross abuse of office, corruption, and other misconduct.
Locals raised concerns about extortion by civil servants, the irregular sale of government land, allocations to private developers, inflated school enrollments, and poor construction of government schools, among other issues.
