Luuka Service Commission boss on run, aide arrested for Shs17M extortion in job scam
Mudhuli later increased the demand to Shs15 million, and the total sum ultimately amounted to Shs17 million after further payments.
Luuka: The chairman of the Luuka District Service Commission, Mr. Paul Isabirye, is currently on the run after being implicated in a scheme to extort Shs17 million from Ms. Sylvia Baisemubaka, a clinical officer who had applied for a job promotion.
In a related development, George Mudhuli, the headteacher of Tabingwa Primary School in Busalamu Town Council, was arrested last Friday by police in Luuka for his involvement in the extortion.
Mudhuli, who is alleged to be a relative of Mr. Isabirye, reportedly promised to influence the commission chairperson to speed up Baisemubaka’s promotion in exchange for a hefty sum of money.
The scandal dates back to October 2024 when Luuka District Local Government’s Health Department advertised a vacancy for the position of Senior Medical Clinical Officer. Among the applicants was Ms. Baisemubaka, a clinical officer at Ikonia Health Center III.
Mudhuli approached Baisemubaka and claimed he could influence the district service commission chairperson, Mr. Isabirye, to ensure her promotion.
According to Baisemubaka’s petition to the Speaker of the Luuka District Council, Mudhuli initially requested Shs2 million, which he said would be delivered to his uncle (Mr. Isabirye) to demonstrate her seriousness.
Mudhuli later increased the demand to Shs15 million, and the total sum ultimately amounted to Shs17 million after further payments.
In her complaint, Baisemubaka outlined how she, along with her mother, raised the money through multiple payments, including Shs2 million at Paradise Hotel in Kiyunga Town on October 4, 2024, and another Shs13 million delivered to Mudhuli’s home in Kiyunga Central Zone on October 16, 2024. The final installment of Shs2 million was paid on October 24, 2024, after Mudhuli requested additional money.
Despite the large sums of money exchanged, Baisemubaka later discovered that the position she had paid for was given to another candidate. Shocked and frustrated, she began demanding a refund, but her requests were ignored.
After failing to secure a refund, Baisemubaka reported the matter to the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Ronald Katende. Fearing legal action, Mudhuli admitted to receiving the Shs17 million in a commitment letter dated December 23, 2024.
In the letter, Mudhuli confessed that he had kept the money for himself and failed to pass it on to Mr. Isabirye, as promised. He committed to returning the funds within seven days, but when he failed to do so, he was arrested on January 3, 2025.
Mr. Katende confirmed the arrest, stating that the RDC’s office had taken decisive action to pursue justice for Baisemubaka. “Corruption is rampant in Luuka District, especially within the service commission. We obtained a commitment letter from Mudhuli as concrete evidence, and investigations are ongoing,” Katende explained.
As part of the ongoing investigation, the Luuka District Chairperson, Mr. Simon Wakaze, has demanded an urgent defense from Mr. Isabirye, who remains at large.
In a letter dated January 6, 2025, Mr. Wakaze questioned Isabirye’s integrity and reputation, giving him until January 13, 2025, to respond to the allegations.
According to reports, Isabirye had been summoned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Kiyunga Central Police Station to answer the charges.
The case highlights a broader problem of extortion and corruption within service commissions across various district local governments in Uganda. Government job opportunities, particularly in public health and other essential sectors, are often sold for bribes ranging from Shs5 million to Shs20 million.
This incident comes amid a broader crackdown on corruption in Uganda’s public service. Following directives from the President, individuals charged with serious offenses such as robbery, extortion, corruption, and murder are no longer granted police bond or court bail.
This directive is being strictly enforced, with authorities indicating that more action is being taken to root out corrupt practices.
The case also follows the suspension of the Luuka District Service Commission in 2024, after numerous complaints of extortion and corruption. The suspension was lifted after the district council resolved that the commission’s work was urgently needed to recruit professionals for various departments.
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