Two officials from Degiba Parish in Koboko District have been arraigned before the Koboko Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of extorting money from beneficiaries of the government’s Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
The accused, Caroline Driciru, a Community Development Officer, and Zaituni Ayite Sebbi, Chairperson of the Degiba PDM SACCO, face allegations of demanding money with menaces.
Their arrest follows a coordinated investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
It is alleged that between 2023 and June 2025, the two, along with unidentified accomplices, abused their positions within PDM management structures to extort money from community members in exchange for access to PDM funds.
These funds, intended to empower local communities and alleviate poverty, were reportedly manipulated by the accused in Midia Sub-county.
“The two, together with others still at large, between 2023 and June 2025 in their capacity as part of the management of various Parish Development Model (PDM) groups in Degiba Parish conspired to extort money from beneficiaries in exchange for granting them access to PDM funds in Midia Sub-county, Koboko District,” the anti-corruption unit said.
This case raises serious concerns about accountability and the integrity of PDM implementation, prompting authorities to expand investigations into other individuals potentially involved in similar schemes.
