KARAKI DISTRICT I URN: The State House Anti-Corruption Unit, in conjunction with the Police, has arraigned three Parish Development Model (PDM) leaders before the court over allegations of extorting beneficiaries.
The trio, Olingo Joseph, Parish Chief of Okungure Parish in Kakure Sub-county; Edwonu James, Chairperson of the Opungure-Kakure PDM SACCO; and Ocepa Josphat, Secretary of the same SACCO, appeared before Kaberamaido Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
They were charged with obtaining money by false pretense and conspiracy to commit a felony and were remanded until July 16, 2026.
According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the suspects, together with others still at large, allegedly extorted money from hundreds of PDM beneficiaries in Opungure Parish, Kakure Sub-county in 2024.
They reportedly obtained the funds by falsely claiming they would include beneficiaries’ names on the list of those eligible for support under the Opungure-Kakure PDM SACCO. Meanwhile, in Katakwi District, Patrick Todi, the District Commercial Officer and Coordinator for North Teso, which covers Kalaki, Katakwi, Amuria, Kapelebyong, Kaberamaido, and Serere, said similar cases of PDM extortion have been reported in the region.
He noted that some parish chiefs were implicated in extorting PDM funds from beneficiaries. He added that several suspects have been arrested in Katakwi, including Dan Ariko of Magoro, Ben Inangolet of the Town Council, and Moris Imeri of Usuk, all accused of extorting PDM funds.
Todi further stated that Katakwi, as a regional support centre for North Teso, is hosting a conference dubbed the “Musevonomics Idea,” bringing together over 250 participants under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, aimed at supporting the transition from a peasant to a money economy.
He advised PDM SACCO chairpersons, secretaries, and LC leaders to maintain proper systems and avoid misusing PDM structures for personal gain. He also cautioned against using PDM funds as collateral in communities. Todi urged beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly and invest in viable enterprises to promote economic development.
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