By Johnson Kanyesige
Vincent Alpha Opio, the Kikuube LCV Vice Chairperson, is in custody at the Kikuube Central Police Station for alleged extortion of 1.5 million shillings.
Opio was arrested on Tuesday afternoon at the Kikuube District Headquarters.
According to sources, Opio extorted 1.5 million shillings from Derick Musabiire, an applicant for a job advertised in the district.
Opio allegedly demanded the money from Musabiire to secure the job for him. However, after failing to secure the position, Musabiire reported the case to the Kikuube Central Police Station.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesperson, confirmed Opio’s arrest and detention.. He stated that detectives are working on Opio’s file, which will be forwarded to the Resident State Attorney for perusal and legal guidance once ready.
Hakiza mentioned that witnesses have recorded statements against Opio to facilitate the investigation. According to Hakiza, once the investigations are complete, Opio will be arraigned in court and charged with extortion.
Spice FM has also learned that several councilors in the district are being investigated for extorting money from job seekers In June 2022, several government officials and politicians in Kikuube were investigated over alleged extortion and corruption in the recruitment of workers.
Hundreds of job seekers were conned by district officials who demanded between 500,000 and 1,000,000 shillings from applicants, promising to help them secure jobs. Despite paying the money, these applicants did not appear on the shortlist.
