A senior government official in Tororo district, Asangai David has been remanded after being charged with theft and conspiracy to commit a crime in connection to millions of shillings meant for elderly citizens under the SAGE program.
The Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) presented the accused before the Tororo Chief Magistrate’s Court where he was formally charged and remanded until March 19, 2025.
The Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) program was designed to provide financial relief to Uganda’s elderly citizens ensuring that they live with dignity in their old age.
However, authorities allege that Asangai David who served as a Community Development Officer instead orchestrated a scheme to steal the funds meant for the elderly across multiple sub-counties in Tororo and Busia districts.
The scandal does not stop there. Investigators have also linked him to the alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) in 2022, a project aimed at rebuilding war-affected areas.
When proven guilty, his actions represent a staggering betrayal of public trust diverting much-needed resources from vulnerable communities.
According the investigation millions of shillings mysteriously disappeared under Asangai’s watch.
It is alleged that he worked with accomplices who are still at large to steal the funds through ghost beneficiaries, fake records and inflated procurement deals.
“This is yet another case of officials enriching themselves at the expense of Uganda’s most vulnerable citizens,” said an Anti-Corruption Unit spokesperson.
The case has ignited public outrage with many demanding stricter accountability measures to prevent future embezzlement of social funds.
While the arrest and arraignment of Asangai David are being hailed as a victory in Uganda’s anti-corruption fight, opposition argue that the larger network of fraud remains untouched.
“These arrests are good, but what about the big fish?” asked one activist in Tororo. “Corruption in Uganda is deeply rooted and unless we start seeing high-profile convictions, this is just a drop in the ocean.”
The government has intensified its efforts to tackle corruption in recent years with numerous officials arrested but convictions remain rare.
Many Ugandans believe that the real test will be whether Asangai David and his alleged accomplices face full accountability or if this case will fade away like many before it.
With Asangai David remanded until March 19, 2025, the elderly citizens who were meant to benefit from the stolen funds continue to suffer, a stark reminder of the real victims of corruption.
