Koboko Officials Charged for Extorting Parish Development Model (PDM) Beneficiaries
Two officials in Koboko District have been arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court over allegations of extorting money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
Driciru Caroline, the Community Development Officer, and Ayite Sebbi Zaituni, Chairperson of Degiba PDM SACCO, are facing charges of demanding money with menaces. Their prosecution follows a joint operation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
According to the charge sheet, the accused, along with other individuals still at large, allegedly conspired to extort money from vulnerable citizens between 2023 and June 2025. The victims—beneficiaries of the government’s PDM program—were reportedly coerced into paying bribes in order to access funds intended to support income-generating activities in Degiba Parish, Midia Sub-county.
Investigators stated that the suspects abused their positions of authority within the PDM SACCO management to demand illicit payments from applicants, undermining the purpose of the government initiative aimed at transitioning households from subsistence to the money economy.
Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to rooting out corruption in public service programs. Citizens are encouraged to report such cases through official channels as further investigations are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.
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