A sweeping joint anti-corruption operation has resulted in the arrest of six senior officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) over allegations of running a massive, highly organized extortion and fraud racket targeting refugee resettlement programs and international donor funds.
The coordinated arrests, executed on Thursday, June 4, 2026, were spearheaded by the Inspectorate of Government (IG) in collaboration with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
The sting operation was launched following a confidential intelligence report exposing deep-rooted financial mismanagement within the Department of Refugees.
According to preliminary intelligence from the Inspector General of Government (IGG), the six high-ranking suspects are accused of manipulating the national refugee registration database to create hundreds of ghost refugees.
These fabricated identities were allegedly used to siphon off billions of shillings in humanitarian aid, resettlement packages, and food rations meant for genuine asylum seekers fleeing regional conflicts.
Furthermore, investigators established that the syndicate operated a sophisticated extortion ring that preyed on vulnerable individuals. The officials allegedly demanded exorbitant bribes from urban refugees in exchange for fast-tracking vital resettlement documentation, work permits, and legal protection status.
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The unfolding scandal has drawn sharp reactions from international development partners and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who have previously flagged discrepancies in the national refugee database.
Key diplomatic missions and donor agencies have reportedly demanded a comprehensive forensic audit of all humanitarian operations and funds managed by the OPM before committing to future financial support.
The arrested officials are currently detained under heavy security as investigators finalize their files. They are expected to be formally arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo next week, where they will face multiple counts of abuse of office, causing financial loss to the government, and corruption.
The Prime Minister’s office has reiterated its commitment to zero tolerance for corruption, stating that it will fully cooperate with the ongoing investigations to root out errant public servants.
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