Soroti City, Uganda – The Anti-Corruption Unit – State House Uganda has arraigned a Community Development Officer (CDO) in Soroti City over allegations of extorting money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM).
In a statement, the Unit said it worked jointly with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to present the suspect, identified as Alajo Hellen, before the Soroti Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The accused, who serves as the Community Development Officer for Kengere Ward in Soroti City East Division, faces charges of obtaining money by false pretence.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly extorted money from more than 121 beneficiaries under the Parish Development Model programme.
“Investigations into the matter revealed that the accused, in her capacity as a Community Development Officer, allegedly extorted thousands of shillings from over 121 beneficiaries of PDM in Soroti City East Division,” the Anti-Corruption Unit said.
It is alleged that she demanded payments under the guise of facilitating group-related processes.
“She reportedly claimed that the money was required for group registration, renewal of group certificates, and stationery,” the Unit stated.
Further investigations indicate that after beneficiaries received their Shs1,000,000 allocations under the government programme, the suspect allegedly demanded additional payments ranging between Shs10,000 and Shs50,000 from each individual.
“She claimed that these funds were intended to facilitate community-based trainers and to enable beneficiaries to access more funding in the next financial year, claims that investigations found to be false,” the statement added.
The suspect has been remanded until April 27, 2026, as investigations and court proceedings continue.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by authorities to crack down on corruption and protect beneficiaries of government wealth-creation programmes from exploitation.
