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Luweero officials remanded over PDM cash theft
A sign post leading to the Chief Magistrate Court and High Court premises in Luweero District. PHOTO BY DAN WANDERA.
What you need to know:
The two officials, along with Mr James Noah Semayobe, the Luweero District Commercial Officer, who is reportedly on the run, are charged with stealing PDM revolving funds amounting to Shs1m meant for various beneficiaries between December 2023 and January 2024
Two Luweero District officials have been remanded on charges of theft and conspiracy to defraud Parish Development Model (PDM) funds meant for beneficiaries at Ndejje Town Council.
On Wednesday, the accused Ndejje Town Clerk Winfred Nansikombi and Buyego Town agent Joseph Male Nsereko appeared before Luweero Chief Magistrate Marriam Nalujja.
The two officials, along with runaway Luweero District Commercial Officer James Noah Semayobe, are charged with stealing PDM revolving funds amounting to Shs1m meant for various beneficiaries between December 2023 and January 2024.
Specifically, Nansikombi and Nsereko are accused of stealing Shs1m meant for Christen Namata and Damalie Kisakye, beneficiaries at Ndejje Town Council, in December 2023.
Semayobe, Nansikombi, and Nsereko face nine counts related to stealing Shs1m from different PDM beneficiaries.
Additionally, Nsereko and Semayobe are charged with conspiring to defraud Shs13m from 13 members of Buyego PDM Sacco at Ndejje Town Council between January and December 2023.
Chief magistrate Nalujja remanded Nansikombi and Nsereko until July 24, 2024, after they unsuccessfully applied for bail on Wednesday.
The arrests of the accused were made in an ongoing investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) in collaboration with police, following a presidential directive to investigate graft in handling PDM funds.
SHACU spokesperson Mariam Natasha confirmed that investigations are ongoing across the country to bring to book all culprits who misused PDM funds.
