Soroti City, Uganda: A Community Development Officer (CDO) attached to Soroti City has been charged and remanded over allegations of extorting money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Hellen Alajo, who serves as the CDO for Kengere Ward in Soroti City East Division, was Thursday arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of obtaining money by false pretence.
The case was jointly investigated by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Criminal Investigations Directorate, and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Investigations reveal that Alajo allegedly extorted money from more than 121 PDM beneficiaries in Soroti City East Division.
She is accused of demanding payments under the pretext of facilitating group registration, renewal of group certificates, and procurement of stationery.
Authorities further state that after beneficiaries received the standard UGX 1 million under the PDM programme, she allegedly demanded additional payments ranging between UGX 10,000 and UGX 50,000 from each individual.
She reportedly claimed the money was intended to support community-based trainers and enable beneficiaries to access additional funding in the next financial year—claims investigators have since established as false.
Alajo has been remanded until April 27, 2026, as investigations continue.
Authorities say the case highlights ongoing efforts to crack down on corruption within the implementation of government poverty alleviation programmes.
The arrest adds to growing scrutiny surrounding the Parish Development Model, where cases of extortion, mismanagement, and manipulation of beneficiary processes have been reported in several districts.
Government has repeatedly warned public officials against abusing the programme, emphasizing strict enforcement of accountability measures.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
