The Inspectorate of Government (IG) on Thursday, August 15, 2024, arrested an office assistant at the Resident State Attorney’s office in Pader District over allegations of extorting Shs1 million from a complainant.

Mr Nicholas Kajura, the IG head for Northern Uganda, confirmed that the suspect, Mr Geoffrey Oneka, 30, was apprehended for soliciting bribes under the pretext of needing funds for court-related transport costs.

Mr Kajura explained that the arrest followed reports that Oneka demanded Shs1 million from a complainant to expedite the prosecution of a rape suspect committed to the High Court.

“We provided the complainant with the money after he reported the case to us. The funds were handed over to Mr Oneka in a controlled sting operation,” Mr Kajura said.

“Oneka accepted Shs400,000 before he was arrested on charges of extortion,” he added.

Mr Kajura noted that further investigations will be conducted to determine Oneka’s fate and emphasized that this arrest serves as a warning to others considering indulging in corrupt practices.

“Our goal is to ensure justice is served and to discourage similar corruption cases. The court will handle this matter to uphold integrity and accountability within public offices,” Mr Kajura stated.

Mr David Olanya, a resident of Ladyanga-atar village, Amoko Sub-county in Pader District, told Monitor that he had recently visited the Resident State Attorney’s office regarding a case, where Oneka demanded money to drop his file.

“I told Oneka that I only had Shs100,000, but he said it wasn’t enough to work on the case file,” Olanya recounted.

“I left the office bitterly, putting everything in the hands of God. There are many like him at the Pader Central Police Station, and we need more interventions like this to clean up Pader,” Mr Olanya added.

Another resident, Mr Denis David Oloya of Pader Town Council, revealed that the Resident State Attorney’s office has become a hostile environment for complainants due to Oneka’s repeated extortion attempts.

“Oneka negotiates with complainants and magistrates, which has led to many suspects being denied bail,” Mr Oloya said.

“We urge the authorities to thoroughly investigate this matter, and if possible, Oneka should be transferred from Pader,” Mr Oloya concluded.