Manafwa officials remanded over extortion and mismanagement of PDM funds

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State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) in collaboration with Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) and Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) on Wednesday, May, 13, 2026, arraigned four Manafwa officials before the Chief Magistrates Court, on charges of theft and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Those arraigned included: Samuel Wanzala, Commercial Officer/Focal Person, Manafwa District; Michael Kashake, Community Development Officer, Bukoma Sub-county; Harriet Nelima, Treasurer, Buwanzala Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCO and Fred Kisaka, Parish Chief of Busangayi I Village.

The arrest and prosecution of the suspects followed joint operations by State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) in collaboration with Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID).

In a public statement, SHACU explained that “in December 2025, in Buwanzala,
Manafwa District, the four suspects, along with others still at large, conspired together with the intent to defraud and stole cash amounting to sh8 million, which belonged to Buwanzala PDM SACCO and its beneficiaries”.

The four were remanded until June 10, 2026.

Other arrests

On Friday, May 8, 2026, two officials of Tegeres West Division SACCO were charged and remanded over allegations of stealing funds meant for beneficiaries of PDM.

Moses Siwa, the SACCO Chairperson, and Sam Sorowon Kwurus, the SACCO Secretary, were arraigned following a joint operation by the SHACU, CID and ODPP.

They were arraigned before the Kapchorwa Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft and conspiracy to defraud and were remanded until May 14, 2026.

Prosecution alleges that between September and October 2025, the two officials, together with others still at large, conspired to steal money intended for beneficiaries under the Parish Development Model in Kapchorwa District.