Tororo DPP staff and police officer face arrest over alleged extortion

Detectives from the Inspector General of Government (IGG) have interrogated staff from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Tororo District, alongside a police officer, over corruption allegations. The suspects include Mr Paul Manyasi, Officer In-Charge of Bukusu Police Post in Manafwa District, and Mr Laban Hafula, an Assistant Office Attendant in the DPP’s office in Tororo.

According to Ms Paula Dominic Baru, head of the IGG's Mbale regional office, the two were arrested for allegedly soliciting bribes, falsely claiming they needed funds for court-related expenses. The arrests followed reports that the suspects extorted Shs15m from Mr Robert Muyesa, the father of a man accused of aggravated defilement.

Mr Muyesa’s son, Mr Godfrey Watsaba, a primary school teacher in Namisindwa District, was arrested on March 8, 2024, for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl and is currently on remand at Maluku Government Prison. The IGG's preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects demanded an additional Shs3m from Mr Muyesa to expedite the dismissal of the defilement case.

Mr Muyesa, after reporting the extortion to the IGG, was provided with the money for a controlled operation. The funds were handed over to Mr Hafula at his office in Tororo, where he received Shs1.5m before being arrested on extortion charges.

The IGG noted that further investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspects' actions, and stressed that these arrests serve as a warning to others. However, Ms Rose Tumuheise, the Assistant Regional DPP of Mbale, declined to comment on the matter, advising that the DPP’s spokesperson be contacted for further information.