PDM SACCO leaders arrested in Oyam corruption crackdown

25 February 2025, 10:45 am

By Eman Yonah Oruk

Reports indicate that PDM SACCO leaders from Western Wards in Oyam town council are currently detained at Oyam Central Police Station.

The leaders are accused of extorting money from beneficiaries and tampering with the list of eligible recipients.

According to sources, the arrested leaders in Oyam town council are under investigation for allegedly soliciting bribes from beneficiaries.

This is a clear violation of the PDM’s intended purpose, which is to empower communities and promote economic development.

The suspects, including Akidi Susan chairperson of yele ikom can farmers PDM SACCO group ,Okello Robson Chairperson PDM western wards, Angulu Desmond parish chief western wards, Adong Resty, and Opio Nicholas, are accused of extorting money from beneficiaries and altering the names of those eligible for benefits.

According to Kenneth Opon, a resident of Nursing Quarters in Oyam town council, SACCO leaders replaced his name with someone else’s, despite him being selected as the top beneficiary.

Opon lodged a complaint at Oyam Central Police Station, resulting in the arrest of the PDM leaders.

Opon urges the PDM leaders of Oyam town council to act with transparency, as the recent incident has greatly angered him.

The area LC2 Chairperson, Sadam Ongom, revealed that he had cautioned the arrested leaders about altering, extortion, and mismanagement of funds, but they failed to heed his warnings.

Ronald Atim Nyony, the LC 2 chairperson of Atek Ober parish in Acaba sub-county, commended the police for the arrests and urged them to investigate all sub-counties in the district due to widespread extortion and mismanagement of PDM funds.

However, according to a leaked audio recording obtained from a credible source, Opon Kenneth was originally selected as the top beneficiary of the PDM fund in their SACCO, but his name was replaced with someone else’s.

Attempts to contact the RDC of Oyam, Sgt Shilaku James, for comments were unsuccessful, as calls to his known contact went unanswered.

Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga PRO, stated that the reporter had not yet contacted his office but assured that he would gather information from the officer in charge of the investigation at Oyam CPS and address the press later.

President Museveni has reaffirmed his stance against granting bail to individuals who steal PDM funds, underscoring the government’s commitment to eradicating corruption.