Businessman Charged in Forest Land Fraud
Lira, Uganda. Okwir Joel, a local businessman and former chairperson of the Railway Division land committee, was arraigned Friday at Lira Chief Magistrate Court on charges of attempted felony, uttering false documents, and creating forged paperwork.
In a plaint against Mr Okwir, the Director of Public Prosecutions working on evidence collected by a joint investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) and Criminal Investigations Directorate, it is alleged Joel fraudulently acquired a leasehold certificate of title for a protected forest reserve in Railways Quarters A village, Lira Municipality.
Investigations revealed that in September 2021, Joel, leveraging his role as land committee chairperson, submitted land application forms to the Lira Municipal Zonal Office (MZO), falsely claiming customary ownership of the plot.
Investigators revealed that the land is legally designated as a forest reserve under Lira Municipal Council’s urban development plan.
Key evidence includes a forged minute extract from a supposed physical planning committee meeting dated December 20, 2019 (referenced as LMC PPC 083/12/2020), which prosecutors argue was fabricated to falsely indicate approval of Okwir’s application. The document allegedly misrepresented committee endorsement for land allocation.
Chief Magistrate Judith Achieng remanded Okwir until October 15, 2024, pending further inquiries.
The fraud has drawn scrutiny over land governance in Lira, where disputes over reserves and communal lands are frequent. SH-ACU headed by Brig Henry Isoke is keen to safeguarding ecological zones, while activists call for stricter oversight of land committees.
If convicted, Joel faces up to seven years imprisonment under the Penal Code. His lawyers contested the charges, citing procedural gaps in documentation. The case resumes next month.
