Four Arrested in Bunyangabu Over PDM Fund Misappropriation Scam

Authorities in Bunyangabu District arrested four individuals on Tuesday linked to the misappropriation of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds. The group includes Parish Chief Doreen Ahaisibwe of Buguzi Parish in Kisomoro Sub-county, along with Buguzi PDM Sacco chairperson Happy Wilson, treasurer Joseph Aliganyira, and secretary Edward Gumisiriza. They are currently held at Bunyangabu Central Police Station.

Residents raised alarms accusing Ahaisibwe of posing as Daphine Kansiime to obtain the beneficiary list and secure a Shs1 million loan. Bunyangabu Resident District Commissioner Nicholas Kamukama revealed that preliminary probes showed Ahaisibwe used Kansiime’s details for the application, which the Sacco approved without checks.

The Sacco leaders admitted in a meeting at the RDC’s office that they skipped due diligence, allowing the funds to be sent to Kansiime’s phone, which Ahaisibwe allegedly accessed. Ahaisibwe confessed to taking the money due to financial woes but received no leniency.

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Baker Akampurira called the case isolated, noting the district has disbursed Shs17 billion to over 17,000 beneficiaries since PDM’s 2022 launch. This marks the third such incident, with prior cases handled via discipline and courts. The recovered Shs1 million will see the suspects arraigned soon.

Launched in 2022, PDM targets wealth creation at the parish level through pillars like value chain development, financial inclusion, and infrastructure.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)