By Our Reporter
The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has today convicted and sentenced four individuals over their involvement in the fraudulent acquisition of part of the Lira Central Forest Reserve, marking a significant milestone in Uganda’s fight against land-related corruption and environmental degradation.
Those convicted include two former public officers and two businessmen, who were found guilty on multiple corruption-related charges, including Abuse of Office, Fraudulent Procurement of a Certificate of Title, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, Altering Boundary Marks, and Illegal Occupation of Protected Land.
Sentences & Fines
The court sentenced the offenders as follows:
Omara Geoffrey, former Physical Planner of Lira District, was fined UGX 2 million or will face 4 years in prison in default.
Ocen Alwong Joseph, former Senior Land Management Officer, was fined UGX 1 million or 2 years imprisonment.
Okello Lawrence, a businessman, received the heaviest fine of UGX 6.4 million or 2 years in prison, and has agreed to surrender the fraudulently obtained land title.
Okwiri Joel, another businessman, was fined UGX 5 million or 2 years imprisonment.
The sentences came after the four entered a plea bargain with the court, pleading guilty in exchange for more lenient sentencing. In total, they were fined over UGX 14.4 million collectively, with default prison terms attached should they fail to pay.
As part of the court’s ruling, all four convicts have been barred from holding any public office for the next 10 years, a decision hailed by transparency and conservation advocates as a bold stance against impunity in land management.
In a particularly significant turn, Okello Lawrence has formally agreed to return the illegally acquired title deed to the Commissioner of Land Registration for cancellation — a move viewed as a corrective step toward restoring integrity to Uganda’s embattled public lands.
The case revolves around the Lira Central Forest Reserve, a protected area vital for environmental conservation and community livelihood. The fraudulent title acquisition not only endangered ecological integrity but also reflected deep-rooted corruption within local land administration systems.
Environmentalists and anti-corruption bodies have welcomed the ruling as a clear signal of accountability in high-stakes land grabbing cases.
“This conviction sends a powerful message,” said an official from the National Forestry Authority. “You cannot plunder public forests for personal gain and walk away without consequences.”
Authorities have called on other individuals and entities illegally occupying forest reserves or wetlands to voluntarily vacate or face prosecution. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has promised more crackdowns on fraudulent land deals affecting protected ecosystems.