By The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has today convicted and sentenced four individuals, including two former Lira District land officials, over their roles in the fraudulent acquisition of land within the Lira Central Forest Reserve.
The convicted include Omara Geoffrey, former Physical Planner of Lira District, who was fined UGX 2 million or face four years in prison, and Ocen Alwong Joseph, former Senior Land Management Officer, sentenced to a fine of UGX 1 million or two years in prison.
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Two businessmen, Okello Lawrence and Okwiri Joel, were also convicted. Okello was fined UGX 6.4 million or two years in prison, while Okwiri was ordered to pay UGX 5 million or serve a similar jail term.
The group faced multiple charges, including abuse of office, conspiracy to commit a felony, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, altering boundary marks, and unlawful occupation of protected forest land.
According to court documents, the accused fraudulently procured a land title for part of the Lira Central Forest Reserve, a public resource protected under Ugandan law. The case has drawn national attention as part of ongoing efforts to curb land-related corruption.
In a plea bargain agreement, the accused pleaded guilty and agreed to pay combined fines exceeding UGX 14.4 million. Okello Lawrence further agreed to return the forged land title to the Commissioner for Land Registration for cancellation.
As part of the sentence, all four individuals have been barred from holding any public office for the next ten years.
The conviction is a major win for anti-corruption and environmental protection advocates, as it sends a strong message about the consequences of tampering with public land.
