Three arrested for defrauding locals UGX90m in Amuru

Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Amuru district is holding three suspects on allegations of defrauding over 90 million Shillings from locals.

The suspects, all employees of Kony Paco Foundation, a village saving group in Parabongo Parish in Lamogi sub-county were arrested following complaints from their clients. The suspects have been identified as Vincent Kica, the Director of the group, Charles Odonga Kitara, the Assistant Director, and Geoffrey Acellam, the Group’s Loan Officer.

It’s reported that the suspects, between 2020 and 2021 collected over 90 million from unsuspecting clients to enable them to acquire various assets on hire purchase. The assets offered ranged from motorcycles, vehicles, groundnut hullers, power saws, grinding mills, and music systems.

More than 40 clients between the period reportedly made payments to officials of the group ranging between shillings 600,000 to eight million shillings for respective assets they intended to acquire. Francis Okello, one of the affected clients told Uganda Radio Network-URN in an interview on Wednesday that he paid a total of 3.5 million Shillings in anticipation of acquiring a reconditioned motorcycle but didn’t get it.

Okello says at first he paid 1.2 million Shillings in January last year for the motorcycle which was handed to him but notes that the motorcycle was impounded by its owner whose debt hadn’t been cleared by the Sacco group leaders. He adds that when he contributed another 200,000 Shilling to aid the recovery of the impounded motorcycle, the Sacco director demanded more cash before eventually selling it off to another person.

Simon Odoch, a resident of Ober Abic village in Acwera Parish in Amuru sub-county says he paid a total of 7.2 million Shillings to acquire a groundnuts huller but ended up only getting the machine’s engine. Odoch says that officials of the Sacco group have been tossing him up and down since January last year, with promises of purchasing the machine in vain.

Close to 40 of the aggrieved complainants from the districts of Nwoya, Amuru, Gulu, and Oyam on Wednesday turned up at the Amuru Resident District Commissioners office to claim for their monies from the suspects.

The Sacco Group’s Director Vincent Kica, during a meeting with the complainants and security personnel, acknowledged receiving the money and promised to pay it back. He however alleged that the purchase of assets applied for by the complainants was affected by recent COVID-19 lockdowns.

Amuru Resident District Commissioner Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, however, tasked the Sacco group officials to recover the money and payout what they owe the complainants.

The officer in charge of Amuru Central Police station Jonathan Apuwa, on Wednesday, said an investigation into the matter was already ongoing. Apuwa says the suspect’s files will be forwarded to the Resident State Attorney for advice on preferred charges. The suspects are currently being detained at Amuru Central Police station.

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