By Our Reporter
Kampala — The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has today convicted and sentenced four individuals, including former government officials and businessmen, over their involvement in the fraudulent procurement of a land title for part of the Lira Central Forest Reserve.
Those convicted are:
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the group was convicted on charges including Abuse of Office, Fraudulent Procurement of a Certificate of Title, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, Altering Boundary Marks, and Unlawful Occupation of the Lira Central Forest Reserve for commercial gain.
The convicts entered into a plea bargain arrangement in which they pleaded guilty and agreed to pay a combined total of UGX 14.4 million in fines, with custodial sentences to be imposed if they fail to pay.
As part of the settlement, businessman Okello Lawrence will return the fraudulently obtained land title to the Commissioner of Land Registration for cancellation. The court also issued an order permanently barring all four convicts from holding any public office for the next 10 years.
The convictions mark a significant step in the government’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on corruption and illegal encroachment on protected forest reserves.
Torch Media Africa
