Kampala, Uganda – The Anti-Corruption Division Court has convicted and sentenced four individuals for their involvement in the fraudulent acquisition of land titles within the protected Lira Central Forest Reserve.
The convicted include two former Lira District officials – Omara Geoffrey and Ocen Alwong Joseph – and two businessmen – Okello Lawrence and Okwiri Joel – who participated in the illegal scheme.
Geoffrey received the heaviest penalty, ordered to pay UGX 2 million or face four years’ imprisonment, while his colleague Ocen Alwong Joseph was fined UGX 1 million with a two-year alternative prison term.
Businessmen Lawrence and Joel were fined UGX 6.4 million and UGX 5 million respectively, both facing two-year prison sentences should they default on payments.
The group faced multiple charges including abuse of office, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, conspiracy to commit a felony, altering boundary marks, and illegally occupying the forest reserve for commercial purposes.
Through a plea bargain arrangement, all defendants admitted guilt, resulting in combined fines exceeding UGX 14.4 million.
In a significant restitution measure, businessman Okello Lawrence has committed to surrendering the fraudulently obtained land title to the Commissioner of Land Registration for immediate cancellation.
The court barred all convicts from holding public office for 10 years, highlighting Uganda’s persistent land management challenges in protecting environmentally sensitive areas.
The Lira Central Forest Reserve, like many protected lands across the country, has faced repeated encroachment attempts, often involving collusion between public officials and private actors.
These convictions follow increased anti-corruption efforts targeting land fraud cases, with authorities emphasizing stricter enforcement against both corrupt officials and their private-sector accomplices.