District health educator arrested for swindling Covid-19 funds

Bukedea, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Bukedea have arrested the District Health Educator Ben Ekou, for allegedly swindling more than 60 million Shillings meant for the facilitation of Village Health Teams-VHTs.

The money was part of government’s intervention in enhancing surveillance of Covid-19 cases in the villages. Each VHT was meant to receive 150,000 Shillings while the village chairperson committee would use 100,000 Shillings. Instead, the VHTs were paid less than 100,000 Shillings leading to an uproar and the subsequent arrest of Ben Ekou, who was in charge of payments.

Preliminary investigations indicate that Ekou asked VHTs to sign a payment voucher reading 150,000 Shillings but only gave them 97,000 Shillings or less. Most of the affected VHTs are from Kachumbala county in the sub counties of Aligoi, Kachumbala, Kamuge and Kongung among others.

Oscar Gregg Ageca, the East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesman says the investigations into the matter have commenced.

Bukedea Resident District Commissioner Geoffrey Okiswa says he received the information from VHTs last Saturday. He adds that in Bukedea county alone, the officer had fleeced more than 17 million Shillings claiming that the money was needed by other top district officials.

But Stephen Ikodet, the acting District Health Officer said that he was out of the district when payment of VHTs started. He however notes that there are a number of sub counties yet to receive their money.

David Omoding, a VHT at Kachoma village in Malera sub county says he has not received money even after several meetings for payment at the sub county headquarters. “They started mobilizing us for payment over a month ago but we have been waiting for the money in vain. Last week, we were told to convene at the sub county headquarters on Friday but nobody came to pay us”, Omoding said.

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