Beda (with a book) and Namara (with a bottle) in handcuffs.
The former Chief Administrative Officer Kabale Edmund Ntimba has been arrested over the missing 289 million meant for the Parish Development Model-PDM program.
Ntimba who was transferred from Kabale to Mitooma district last year was arrested together with Christopher Namara, the District Community Development Officer, Beda Mwebesa, District Production, and Marketing Officer, and Boaz Kakuru, the District Planning Officer.
They were arrested on Friday evening after failing to explain the whereabouts of the money during an impromptu meeting about the progress of the PDM program in the district. The meeting was organized by Joveline Kalisa Kyomukama, Deputy National Coordinator MPD project in the Ministry of Local government.
In February, the government wired 400 million Shillings to Kabale district account meant for parish Savings and Credit Cooperative Society in sub-counties. According to the terms, the district officials were ordered not to withdraw the money until the government issues fresh guidelines for proper use. But however, the district staff disbursed only 111 million Shillings.
Kalisa says that they received information from a whistleblower that the money was secretly withdrawn money from the bank. Kalisa says that her department launched investigations and found out that the money missing. Kalisa tasked Ntimba, Bwebesa, Namara, and Kakuru to explain the whereabouts of the money.
Ntimba and Mwebesa defended themselves arguing that the money was spent while purchasing fuel and lunch for civil servants who were sensitizing locals about the program.
However, this was rejected by Kalisa who asked them to explain why they withdrew the money from the bank yet the guidelines were very clear.
Kalisa asked police officers who were in the meeting to arrest the officers. They were taken to Kabale Police Station. Kalisa also ordered demanded security personnel to arrest Erasmus Natumanya District Commercial Officer and Julius Mujuni, the District Chief Finance Officer who are on the run.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, Kabale Resident District Commissioner promised to hunt down Natumanya and Mujuni.
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