The Inspectorate of Government has arrested one Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Commissioner over an alleged extortion ring, in which asylum seekers were allegedly forced to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 for refugee status in the country.
In a statement released on Thursday night, the inspectorate revealed that it arrested the Commissioner for Refugee Management in the OPM, Mr. Patrick Okello, together with five other officials and a Pakistani national, over alleged extortion during the registration process of refugees in Uganda.
The other affected officials include; Mr. Asiimwe Douglas, Assistant Commissioner Refugee Management, Mugabe Geoffrey, Senior Settlement Commandant, Ekwap Noel, Head Information Technology, Bweme Henry, Registration Officer, and Nadiope Arnold, Refugee Status Interviewing Office, and Mr. Zafar Ahamad, a Pakistani.
The suspects are expected to assist investigators as inquiries into the alleged extortion network continue.
According to preliminary investigations, Mr. Zafar Ahmad is alleged to have served as the link between the OPM officials and refugees, playing a central role in coordinating transactions that were believed to have formed part of the extortion scheme.
The arrests were preceded by a search operation conducted by investigators from the IGG, during which critical documents were retrieved to support the investigations.
The suspects have since recorded statements with the inspectorate, following the operation that underscored government’s continued efforts to combat corruption and uphold integrity in public service delivery.
