Namisindwa district acting commercial officer, Bernard Kitongo, has been charged by Bubulo Magistrate’s court with allegations of corruption and extortion.
Kitongo was arrested last Thursday, alongside Carolyn Khwaka, the parish chief of Burumba Ward in Bukhaweka town council, Namisindwa district.
Their arrest followed orders from Bosco Nabongo, Namisindwa assistant resident district commissioner. The two are accused of illegally extorting money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program in exchange for approval to access the program’s benefits.
Kitongo appeared before Grade One Magistrate Esther Nalungi where he denied the charges. The magistrate remanded him to Bubulo prison until January 29, 2025, when he is scheduled to reappear in court.
The arrests follow President Yoweri Museveni’s directive during his recent tour of the Bugisu region. Museveni called for the arrest of civil servants accused of extorting money from PDM beneficiaries, emphasizing that if found guilty, such individuals must repay the extorted funds and face termination of their employment.
PDM is a government initiative aimed at uplifting grassroots communities from poverty. Allegations of corruption within its implementation have raised concerns about the program’s integrity and its ability to achieve its objectives.
