A 52-year-old man has today (Tuesday) been arrested for allegedly stealing his 98-year-old blind mother’s money from the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) programme in Kagadi District.
The officer in charge of Kyaterekera police post, Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Albert Pamson, identifies the suspect as Justus Mwesige, resident of Kyabairu Village in Nyakarongo Parish, Nyakarongo Sub-county in Kagadi District.
He also identifies the victim as Ms Margaret Georgina, a resident of Kyomukama Village in Kyaterekera Sub-county also in Kagadi District.
The police officer told this website that Mwesige had for long been picking Ms Georgina’s money after she authorised him to always pick her Shs25,000 monthly grant.
“The suspect’s file is being prepared to ensure that it is transferred to Kagafi police station for further legal management,” said Mr Pamson.
However, Mwesige denies he had been stealing the woman’s honoraria saying that since “she is blind and aged, she doesn’t recognise the amount of money given to her.”
The Kagadi Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Ms Lillian Ruteraho, said that she ordered for Mwesige’s arrest following a news story aired on one of the local radio stations in Kagadi that the old woman was in dire need for help.
The RDC accused the area local leaders of failing to help the old woman.
On Sunday, the old woman hit headlines on one of the local radio stations in the area that she was in dire need for help after she and her grandson, Martin Atugonza, 12, were infested with jiggers in the legs and hands.
The authorities rushed Atugonza to Kagadi Hospital where he is currently admitted to heal from the parasites.
The old woman’s neighbour, Ms Sylvia Nyiramuco, said that the boy’s mother abandoned him for her business away from the area.
“Although we communicate to her that her son is badly suffering from jiggers, she doesn’t care to come to his rescue.”
Mr Lazaro Asiimwe, another neighbour said that he provides food and medical care to the old woman in addition to his children fetching water for her.
The Kyomukama A Village Chairman, Mr Francis Rwamwenge, said that he mobilised the residents to construct a temporary structure for the old woman.
