Police in Obongi district has in detention four senior district technocrats over a ghost project.
Those arrested by police are the Acting District Engineer, Onapa Ivan Opio, the Procurement Officer, Ms. Fatuma Musa, the Accountant, Zubeda Shafi, and the Obongi Auditor, Ayume Charles.
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Andrew Leru, is also implicated in the scandal and is currently on the run.
The alleged scandal involves the supply of a ghost double cabin pick-up vehicle. The process for the supply and purchase of the vehicle was initiated last year, and payment was made in February 2023. However, the vehicle has never been delivered.
According to available records, the technical staff colluded in processing and paying money to a contractor called Bygone Enterprises Ltd from Lira district. The district claimed to have received the vehicle, but in reality, it was only a picture of the vehicle that was sent by the supplier from Naguru, Kampala.
It is worth noting that the Acting District Engineer, Onapa Ivan Opio, was employed by Obongi district after being dismissed by UNRA for embezzling money for fuel when he was a station manager at Moyo district. Additionally, the CAO, Andrew Leru, was recently arrested for embezzling PDM funds.
When contacted on his official phone number, CAO Leru Andrew did not respond to repeated phone calls from our reporter. Police sources, preferring anonymity, revealed that the State House Anti-corruption unit has taken an interest in the matter.
