A Registration officer at the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) in charge of Butanda Sub County in Kabale district has been arrested and jailed for extorting money from people for services which are meant to be free of charge.
Samson Twasiima, was arrested on orders of the Deputy Resident District Commissioner Gad Ahimbisibwe Rugaju on Thursday afternoon at Butanda sub county headquarters.
On February 11, 2019, NIRA commenced a countrywide three months registration process of citizens to be enrolled on the national register and for issuance of National Identification Numbers (NINs).
It’s alleged that Twasiima used the opportunity of being a registration officer to ask for money from residents of Butanda in turn to register them.
Wilson Tumuhimbise of Kabaya village speaking in a meeting that was organized by the deputy RDC said the official asked him for Shs10,000 to give him a national ID that he had misplaced.
Elikaana Ndyamuhaki said he was asked to pay Shs8,000 in order to be registered but says he did not pay because he didn’t have it. He was not registered.
Yonasaani Niwamanya revealed he was forced to go and dig two times for money in order to get Shs8,000 which he paid to Twasiima to get registered.
Vanince Bakundente, a woman in her late 60’s also said she had visited the sub county eight times for her national ID, but she is yet to receive it because she does not have the requested money.
According to Nsenga Norman who heads NIRA in Kabale and Rukiga districts, all NIRA services that Twasiima was supposed to deliver were all for free.
“I warned Twasiima and his colleagues not to extort money but he refused, now it has caused him problems” Nsenga said.
Ahimbisibwe said most people tend to extort money from people in deep areas yet the services are free.
He said he had been receiving complaints from people that they were being asked for money before being registered. He directed the Butanda police to arrest Twasiima until he refunds all the money to he took from people.
Minutes after his arrest, Twasiima wrote a letter accepting that he extorted money from residents before apologizing for his unfortunate conduct.
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