Prime
Police investigate Kyotera pastor for extorting money from PDM beneficiaries
Mr Hassan Musooba the Kyotera DPC (right) arresting Mr Deo Muganzi a senior pastor at Kyanika Fire Deliverance Church in Kabira Sub County on August 6, 2024. Photo | Richard Kyanjo
What you need to know:
- Muganzi, who is a senior pastor at Kyanika Fire Deliverance Church in Kabira Sub County, was arrested at Bwemijja Village on orders of the state Minister for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo.
Police in Kyotera District are still holding a Pentecostal pastor, Deo Muganzi, who was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly soliciting bribes from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
Muganzi, who is a senior pastor at Kyanika Fire Deliverance Church in Kabira Sub County, was arrested at Bwemijja Village on orders of the state Minister for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo.
According to the Kyotera District police commander, Mr Hassan Musooba, the criminal investigation department is still gathering evidence against Muganzi.
"Our investigations are still ongoing, and when we are done, he will be produced in court," Musooba said in an interview on Friday.
It remains unclear whether all the complainants will present themselves to police to record statements. Muganzi is still being held at Kyotera Central Police Station, despite the constitutional requirement to produce detained suspects in court within 48 hours of arrest.
Muganzi's arrest followed complaints from members of Bwamijja PDM SACCO, who accused him of demanding between Shs45,000 to 120,000 to include them on the list of beneficiaries.
During a meeting at Bwamijja Village, over 100 residents told Minister Kasolo that Muganzi had asked them for money, which he claimed was meant to facilitate their inclusion on the list of beneficiaries.
The PDM program, which was rolled out in 2022, aims to lift 39 per cent of the country's 43 million population out of poverty.
However, some implementers of the program have been accused of extorting money from beneficiaries or giving them less money than they are entitled to.
