Tororo Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded Josephine Naluyima, a 32-year-old marketing officer at Centenary Rural Development Bank, to Morukatipe Farm Prison on charges of stealing and conspiring to steal over Shs57 million intended for elderly beneficiaries under the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) program.
Naluyima, who denied the charges, is facing trial alongside David Asangai, a community development officer from the Tororo District local government.
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According to prosecutors, between September 25 and October 6, 2023, Naluyima, Asangai, and unidentified accomplices allegedly diverted funds meant for SAGE recipients in various sub-counties across Tororo and Busia districts. They face charges of theft and conspiracy to commit a felony under sections 237(1), 244, and 363 of the Penal Code Act.
During the court session, Chief Magistrate Abert Asiimwe urged Naluyima to reflect on her actions, noting that if she invested the money, she should consider the proceeds as not hers, since the rightful recipients—elderly citizens—are suffering. He also pressed her to disclose where the money went, stressing that no theft report had been made, hinting the funds might still be recoverable.
Both suspects were remanded until April 16, 2025, when their case will be mentioned. Prosecutors are seeking to amend the charges to include embezzlement, which would escalate the case to a capital offense under the jurisdiction of the Anti-Corruption Court.
Their arrest followed complaints from SAGE beneficiaries who reported missing grant payments, prompting an investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Uganda Police Force. The suspects were eventually apprehended while in hiding in Luwero District.
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