By Three individuals, including a local politician and a UPDF soldier, were on Monday arraigned before the Otuke Magistrate’s Court on charges of theft and conspiracy to defraud elderly beneficiaries of the government’s cattle compensation program in Northern Uganda.
The suspects have been identified as Akasa Jimmy Mokili, a businessman and politician from Agago District; Okengo Jaspher, the LCIII Chairperson of Ogor Sub-county in Otuke District; and Sgt. Amoni Benz, alias Okengo Bonny, a serving officer in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The case was brought against them following a joint operation conducted by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Latest
Kabuleta Accuses FDC’s Nandala of Plagiarizing Gazetted Campaign Slogan “Money in Your Pocket.”
Kabuleta Dismisses his Suspension as a “Clown Show”
Is Moses Matovu the Problem in NEED? Spokesperson Accused of Double-Dealing
Campaign Posters To Follow New KCCA Regulations, Defiant Candidates Face Arrest
The NRM Primaries Proved That It is Still a Popular Political Party Which is Here To Stay
Namyalo Heckled in South Africa as Angry Ugandans Reject NRM Outreach
NRM Sets August Dates for Delegates Conference Ahead of 2026 Elections
Kampala Carnival Set for Comeback This October
Compensation for Kiteezi Garbage Slide Victims Underway — KCCA
Investigations revealed that the trio, working in collusion with other individuals still at large, fraudulently accessed and exploited the personal and banking information of legitimate claimants under the cattle compensation program. These victims mostly elderly citizens from Otuke District had been listed to receive compensation for livestock lost during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency and Karamoja cattle raids.
According to authorities, the accused manipulated the registration and account-opening process to gain access to victims’ banking details. Using this access, they allegedly withdrew large sums of compensation money without the beneficiaries’ knowledge. In some instances, victims were given only a fraction of their rightful payments, while others received nothing at all.
The stolen funds are estimated at UGX 1.5 billion, earmarked by government to compensate war-affected communities in Northern Uganda.
The suspects were not allowed to take plea as the case is still under inquiry, and they were remanded pending further investigations.
Officials from SH-ACU stated that more arrests are expected as investigations continue to widen into what appears to be a coordinated fraud network exploiting government compensation programs.
The case underscores growing concerns over the management of special compensation schemes and the vulnerability of elderly and rural citizens to financial exploitation.
The suspects will return to court on a date to be communicated by the magistrate. Meanwhile, security and anti-corruption agencies have assured the public of their commitment to recover the lost funds and bring all culprits to justice.
