Police have detained 19 Parish Development Model (PDM) officials from Takaramiam Parish, Awaliwal Sub-county in Soroti District after receiving information that they had broken the rules for allocating government funding under the PDM.

They were identified as such by the Parish Leadership Takaramiam through the LC1s, IIs, and IIIs in the Awaliwal Sub-County, who then brought their complaint to the attention of the district’s LC5 Chairperson and Resident District Commissioner (RDC).

Salim Kumakech, the RDC for the Soroti District, was prompted to order the arrest of the accused, who remained in police custody as of Wednesday morning as a result.

Kumakech gave PDM implementers his word that anyone trying to sabotage the PDM process would be detained.

Peter Ebau, the LC3 chairperson for the Awaliwal Sub County, claims that his office has held multiple meetings to urge PDM Technical staff members not to bill customers for the PDM program, but all of their efforts have been in vain.

The 16 suspects, including the Village SACCO Chairpersons, were confirmed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Charles Okello, O/C Gweri Station.

Some of the detained people were Isaac Edoan, who identified himself as the Community Development Officer (CDO), Richard Emau Parish Chief Takaramiam, and Takaramiam SACCO Chairperson Emmanuel Ojangole.