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An official attached to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), Joshua Ekule, has been remanded to prison after being accused of extorting money from residents seeking national identity cards.Ekule was arrested during an operation by Soroti Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Imran Muluya in collaboration with the District Internal Security Officer (DISO) and the police, following numerous complaints from residents who alleged they were being asked to pay unofficial fees to process their national ID applications.Muluya said his office had received several complaints from members of the public accusing some NIRA officials of demanding money from applicants despite government directives that no charges should be levied for the service.He explained that his office first engaged NIRA officials after receiving the complaints and informed them about concerns regarding irregularities and misconduct within the registration process.He added that a meeting was convened involving NIRA officials and community representatives to address the matter, but the suspected illegal practices allegedly persisted, prompting authorities to launch investigations that eventually led to Ekule’s arrest.According to Muluya, the arrest was part of an intelligence-led operation aimed at curbing corruption and protecting citizens from exploitation while accessing government services.He said authorities laid a trap after receiving reports that some officials were extorting members of the public and also soliciting money from residents seeking corrections and registration services.Muluya reiterated that registration for national identity cards is free of charge, except for officially gazetted fees related to replacing lost IDs and correcting personal details. He warned that any public officer found exploiting citizens would face action, stressing that public service delivery must remain free, transparent and fair to all Ugandans.Ekule is currently being held at Katine Central Police Station, where officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) are recording statements and gathering evidence to support prosecution.The arrest comes at a time when NIRA is conducting a nationwide mass registration and renewal exercise, attracting large numbers of Ugandans seeking national IDs and related services.
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, https://observer.ug/news/soroti-nira-official-arrested-over-national-id-extortion/
