Arua environment officer commits suicide after getting bail

Arua: The Arua senior environment officer, Joachim Andiandu, has committed suicide after being granted bail.

Andiandu, also doubling as the former Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP) Desk Officer, was discovered dangling on the rope in his house near Rino Camp.

The incident happened on Friday last week. He had been granted bail by Arua Chief Magistrate Court after being arrested and arraigned in court for swindling 20 million shillings meant for forest restoration in Ajia Sub County Arua district.

The deceased was arrested on January 17, 2024, together with Owen Onzima, the community facilitator, for swindling money from a saving group meant for DRDIP forest restoration in the above sub county.

The money swindled, worth 20 million shillings, was for the Abamba village savings group in Ajia parish in Ajia Sub County, where the deceased told the signatories that out of the 40 million shillings they had withdrawn, 20 million shillings were meant for the district leadership.

However, the deceased, after being arrested, recovered the 20 million shillings he had taken, which acted as an exhibit.

There has been a series of monies being swindled in Arua district.

In 2018, there was a bitter verbal exchange between Arua district councilors and technical personnel when police stormed the NUSAF offices to search for clues into the disappearance of more than 500 million shillings.

The offices were locked for two months by the NUSAF Desk Officer, Paul Edobo, after allegedly drawing more than Shillings 500 million, meant for paying over 50 suppliers.

The suppliers put pressure on the Chief Administrative Officer, Ismail Ochengel, which prompted him to direct police to break into the office and search for the money and relevant documents.

Do you have an advertisement or article you want to publish? Mail us at theugreports@gmail.com or WhatsApp +256757022363.