The convicts are Omara Geoffrey, former Physical Planner of Lira, who was sentenced to pay a fine of UGX 2 million or serve four years in prison. Ocen Alwong Joseph, former Senior Land Management Officer of Lira, was fined UGX 1 million or face two years in prison.

Okello Lawrence, a businessman, was sentenced to pay a fine of UGX 6.4 million or serve two years in prison. As part of his plea bargain, he has agreed to return the land title he fraudulently obtained to the Commissioner of Land Registration for cancellation. Okwiri Joel, a businessman, was fined UGX 5 million or face two years in prison.

The accused faced charges including abuse of office, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, conspiracy to commit a felony, altering boundary marks, and unlawfully occupying protected land for commercial purposes. They pleaded guilty under a plea bargain arrangement, resulting in a combined total of UGX 14.4 million in fines, with the option of imprisonment if they fail to pay.

In addition to the fines, the court has barred all the convicted individuals from holding public office for the next 10 years. The case has drawn national attention as part of ongoing efforts to curb land-related corruption.

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The charges read to the suspects on Wednesday are linked to an alleged  bribery scheme involving fraudulent land title claims in Lira District.

Owani joins former Lira District land board Chairperson Chankoma Paul and Councillor Ojuka Anthony, who were earlier charged.

The trio allegedly solicited a UGX 70 million bribe from Eryao Francis, a land buyer, and received UGX 5 million as part payment.

The officials claimed that Eryao’s land title had been fraudulently issued to previous owners and was due for cancellation. They allegedly assured him that they could influence the board’s decision to preserve his title in exchange for the bribe.

Investigators say the suspects used their positions to manipulate official decisions for personal gain, violating public trust. The court considered the charges serious, citing risk of interference with witnesses if released on bail.

Owani Kenneth Allan has been remanded until 2nd June 2025 as investigations continue. The case underscores ongoing efforts to root out corruption in Uganda’s land administration sector.

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The arrest and court appearance were conducted by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in partnership with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

According to prosecution details, the case stems from events that occurred in 2023. Ojuka, along with others including Paul Chankoma, Chairperson of the Lira District Land Board, is accused of soliciting a bribe from a private individual, Eryao Francis. The accused reportedly demanded UGX 70 million and received UGX 5 million as partial payment.

The alleged bribe was tied to a land dispute involving property registered under Freehold Register LIRI 181, Folio 3, Plot 31 in Lira District. The title in question was reportedly under scrutiny, with claims that it had been fraudulently issued to former owners. The accused are alleged to have promised that, in exchange for payment, they would influence the land board’s decision to avoid cancellation of Eryao’s title.

The court has remanded Ojuka until May 27, 2025, as investigations continue. The charges highlight growing concerns around bribery and the manipulation of public institutions in land administration matters.

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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.

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