By Frank Kamuntu
State House Anti Corruption Unit working with Uganda Police have arraigned Okello Lawrence and Okwiri Joel before the Chief Magistrates Court in Lira on charges of Fraudulent Procurement of Certificate of Title, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, altering boundary marks and occupying a forest reserve for commercial purposes.
The suspects have been remanded until 19/12/2023.
The Unit says Okwiri being the Chairperson of the Railways Division Area land committee forged signatures of the other members of the committee and processed a title on the Lira Central Forest Reserve.
”He immediately transferred the same into the names of Okello Lawrence who alleges to have paid him money. With impunity, Okello cut down part of the forest reserve and poured Murram to drain it to put a petrol station,” says the Unit.
It’s said that Ministry of Water and Environment officials notified Okello of the fact that he was on the forest reserve and tried to stop him from constructing a petrol station thereon, but he overpowered them due to the backing of some politicians and money.
The State House Anti Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) in one year, 2022, managed to recover Ugx35.484bn from corruption masters of this country, the annual report revealed.
The Unit also managed to arrest and arraign in court over 448 suspects. Among these, courts convicted 70 culprits including government accounting officers, Executive Officers, managing directors, Secretaries of Commission, CAOs, and Town Clerks.
SH-ACU was established under Article 99(4) of the constitution of Uganda, which gives the President executive powers to either directly or indirectly perform his duties or through officers subordinate to him.
Launched on 10th December 2018, SH-ACU coordinates with all constitutionally mandated agencies to ensure a corruption-free country.
The Unit also acts as a link between H.E. the President, citizens, and Anti-Corruption agencies in relation to Anti-Corruption issues.
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