Three suspects are being held by the Police in Amuru District on allegations of defrauding over 90 million Shillings from locals.
The suspects are all employees of Kony Paco Foundation, a village saving group in Parabongo Parish in Lamogi Sub-county and were arrested following complaints from their clients.
Vincent Kica, the Director of the group, Charles Odonga Kitara, the Assistant Director, and Geoffrey Acellam, the Group’s Loan Officer allegedly collected over 90 million from unsuspecting clients to enable them acquire various assets on hire purchase between 2020 and 2021.
The assets offered ranged from motorcycles, vehicles, groundnut hullers, power saws, grinding mills, and music systems.
However, 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, but didn’t get them.
One of the clients says he first he paid1.2 million Shillings in January last year for a motorcycle which was handed to him but was later impounded by its owner whose debt hadn't been cleared by the Sacco group leaders.
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.
At least 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.
During a meeting with the complainants and security personnel, the Sacco Group’s Director Vincent Kica 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.
Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner 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. The suspects are currently being detained at Amuru Central Police station.
Apuwa says the suspect’s files will be forwarded to the Resident State Attorney for advice on preferred charges.
