Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has convicted and sentenced two ragged officials and two businessmen occupied with the unfounded procurement of land within the Lira Central Woodland Reserve.
Geoffrey Omara, the ragged physical planner and senior land management officer hooked up to Lira District Native Executive, has been fined sh2 million or faces four years imprisonment. Joseph Ocen Alwong, one other ragged official, turn out to be once fined a million shillings or two years’ imprisonment.
Businessmen Lawrence Okello and Joel Okwir were also convicted and fined sh6.4 million and sh5 million, respectively, or chance two years imprisonment every. The costs in opposition to them integrated abuse of dwelling of job, unfounded procurement of a certificate of title, conspiracy to commit a prison, altering boundary marks, and illegal occupation of the Lira Central Woodland Reserve for industrial beneficial properties.
By means of a plea good deal, the accused pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay fines totaling over sh14.4 million. Moreover, all four are barred from conserving any public dwelling of job for the next 10 years. Okello has dedicated to returning the fraudulently purchased land title to the Commissioner of Land Registration for cancellation.
The scandal dates relief to 2018 when Omara solid approval from the Physical Planning Committee for a leasehold title application by Stamp Aliro, which never genuinely existed. Ocen Alwong irregularly licensed these application documents with out correct authority whereas serving on the Lira Municipal Council.
CONVICTION!
The Anti-Corruption Division Court has as of late convicted and sentenced the next contributors;
1. Omara Geoffrey – Historical Physical Planner, Lira: Sentenced to pay a stunning UGX 2 million or 4 years in penal advanced.
2. Ocen Alwong Joseph – Historical Senior Land Administration… pic.twitter.com/KZGVk9WBu7— Anti Corruption Unit – Instruct House Uganda (@AntiGraft_SH) July 7, 2025
Okwir turn out to be once learned to accept as true with solid a national identity card within the name of Aliro Stamp, Okello’s son, and fraudulently processed a freehold title for land located at Location 4A, Location Avenue, Railways Quarters ‘A’—piece of the woodland reserve. This took dwelling between April 2018 and July 2020.
Between November and December 2020, Okello transferred the title from Aliro Stamp to himself in conspiracy with Okwir, submitting solid documents to a Land Ministry official. Court documents also show conceal that between September 2020 and October 2022, Okello altered boundary marks of the Lira Central Woodland Reserve, clearing land to fabricate and characteristic an oil gasoline spot with out permission.
Omara had previously been convicted twice for the illegal sale of authorities land in Lira. Investigators remark Okello not current orders from the Ministry of Water and Atmosphere to cease construction on the woodland reserve, allegedly supported by political figures in Lira.
In December 2024, Okello turn out to be once arrested for constructing one other illegal gasoline spot at Pece Swamp in Bar-dege Division, Gulu Metropolis, violating NEMA’s Environmental and Social Impact Overview stipulations. He turn out to be once later launched on bail by the Chief Justice of the Peace Court in Makindye.
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