State Minister for Economic Monitoring Sandra Santa Alum has ordered security agencies to arrest an Otuke District councillor accused of taking Shs5 million meant for his 112-year-old grandmother under the government cattle restocking programme.
Alum issued the directive after Lamex Okello, a relative of the elderly beneficiary, reported during her oversight visit to Otuke on Thursday that Christopher Atiko, a councillor for Alangor, used his position as the woman’s next of kin to access the money before disappearing to Kampala.
Okello said his aunt, Joyce Awenyi, was selected as a beneficiary but, because of her advanced age, relied on relatives to handle her documents and programme-related transactions.
He said he was keeping her national identity card and other documents when Atiko, accompanied by the Agweng parish chief, asked him to surrender the documents to register as her next of kin.
“He came with the parish chief of Agweng and he asked that I give him the old woman’s documents claiming he was going to the district to be a next of kin,” Okello said.
He said the councillor was subsequently registered as the next of kin and collected the Shs5 million when it was released.
“After this man picked this Shs5 million, he escaped,” Okello said.
Okello said he reported the matter to the Resident District Commissioner, who directed him to open a case at Otuke Central Police Station.
He said the Agweng LC1 and LC2 chairpersons and parish chief had recorded statements after being summoned by police.
Alum described the case as particularly disturbing because the beneficiary is over 100 years old and the accused is a local leader.
“A grandmother of over 100 years was deceived by a grandson and this grandson is even a leader, the LC councillor for this sub-county, coming and deceiving the grandmother and running away with all the money for the cattle compensation!” she said.
The minister directed security agencies including the RDC and police to pursue and arrest the councillor and ensure the money is recovered.
“What we have decided to do is to look for this councilor and bring him before the law. He has to pay for this money and the law should take its course up to its logical conclusion,” she said.
“This coming from a leader is very unfortunate,” Alum added, saying the case should serve as a warning against political interference in government programmes.
The minister was also told that Atiko allegedly took another Shs30 million previously received by Awenyi under an earlier cattle compensation programme. The Shs30 million allegation was raised during the visit but was not independently established.
Alum also raised concern over an alleged practice where people rent out their national identity cards to access Parish Development Model funds.
“Another strange finding that we have got here is that people are now renting their IDs whereby the owner of the ID is given Shs200,000. Then the other person takes Shs800,000,” she said.
She directed security agencies to apprehend those involved, recover the funds and ensure they are returned to the intended beneficiaries.