Bukwo district officials have fled their offices following the arrival of a team from the Parish Development Model secretariat after Shs78million is believed to have been siphoned from the programme.
The team has already picked up the Chief Administrative Officer, Andrew Bukose, who is believed to have received news about the team late.
Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, the Bukwo Resident District Commissioner told our reporter that most of the officials fled to the forest towards the Kenyan-Uganda border.
“I am alone with the team from PDM security, all the officers have vanished, which is very bad because if they know they did nothing wrong why run away?” he asked.
Hashaka said those who have run away include Franklin Kityo, the District Production Officer, Tom Toskin, Commercial Officer, Francine Cheruto, the District community development and Planner, David Aliya.
He explained that the team has picked up the CAO who is yet to record a statement with the police.
The PDM officials are led by Jovrine Kalisa, the former Ibanda District Woman Member of parliament. The team spared Jose Jimmy Walamoe Lowor, the incoming Bukwo Chief Administrative Officer on grounds that he is new in the district but tasked him to produce the officers who fled into the forest.
Aminis Kayondo, the Bukwo District Police Commander declined to comment about the arrest of the CAO and directed our reporter to the Siipi Region Police Spokesperson, Frank Mark Chesang who was not readily available for comment.
Moses Kiplingat, one of the anticorruption activists in Bukwo district, has urged the PDM team to apprehend and prosecute the corrupt officials.
“It will not make any difference when corrupt officials are arrested and released within few days and they resume their offices,” he said.
Beatrice Chemutai, another anti-corruption monitor says there is a need for heavy security deployment around the forest that has become a safe heaven for corrupt officials.
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