Lira | Sarah Atim, chairperson of Nen Anyim Enterprise Group, has been remanded until December 23, 2024, by the Lira Grade One Magistrate Court.
On December 13, 2024, Grade One Magistrate Alison Nasasira ordered Atim’s remand on charges of extorting funds meant for beneficiaries.
The SACCO group she leads is in the Te Kulo cell, Ipito Aweno Ward, Lira City West Division. She was apprehended by police on Tuesday after allegedly extorting one million shillings (shs1m) from beneficiaries.
She was then transferred to Lira Central Government Prison on Friday, December, where she will remain until her next court appearance on December 23, 2024.
The decision to remand her came after Atim denied the allegations against her during the court hearing, during which the prosecutor informed the court that the investigation into the matter was complete.
Charity Akullu, a SACCO beneficiary and journalist for the Daily Monitor‘s Lira bureau, accused Atim of unlawfully taking her money. Akullu stated that Atim informed her of a call from senior officials inquiring about the status of her payment.
Atim allegedly stated that she could not process any payments because Akullu’s Wendi account was inactive.
She told Akullu to get her sim card from her aunt Stella and activate her Wendi account. Akullu was hospitalized at the time.
Akullu told the court that her payment was processed on December 5, 2024, but Atim took advantage of her situation by withdrawing over one million shillings from her Wendi account without her permission.
Akullu was released on December 8, 2024, and when asked about her sim card, funds, and identification, she claimed that Atim began to claim that she had given the money to unidentified individuals.
Walter Enyango, the secretary of the Nen Anyim group, has accused Sarah, citing witness accounts that Akullu’s fund was supposed to be distributed on December 2, 2024, along with payments to five additional beneficiaries.
Enyango stated that he met with Sarah on December 5, 2024, to discuss the withdrawal of funds from the Post Bank through Wendi agent banking.
He indicated that they are under pressure from Atim, implying potential connections, based on the commercial officer’s involvement.
In addition to allegations of financial misconduct, Atim has been detained by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit on similar charges and is currently undergoing legal proceedings, which have yet to be resolved.
This situation arose after she formed four unauthorized groups under the SACCO with the commercial officer’s consent.
James Justin Olwa, the Lira City coordinator attached to the Office of the National Coordinator, told the press that, according to the President’s directive, anyone who obstructs PDM funds will face legal consequences.
“Concerning Atim’s case, we are committed to pursuing this matter to its conclusion to ensure justice is achieved. This should also serve as a warning to other leaders who may take a similar approach to Atim,” Olwa said.