The Chief Magistrates Court in Lira has arraigned Okello Lawrence and Okwiri Joel for fraudulently procuring a certificate of title and conspiring to commit a felony.
On December 8, 2023, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHAC-U) and the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) of the Uganda Police arraigned the pair in court.
According to the Anti-Corruption Unit, in a statement, the two altered boundary marks and occupied a forest reserve for commercial purposes.
“Okwiri, during his tenure as the Chairperson of the Railways Division Area Land Committee, forged the signatures of the other members of the Committee and processed a title on the Lira Central Forest Reserve,” the Anti-Corruption Unit stated.
“He immediately transferred the same into the names of Okello Lawrence, who alleges to have paid him money,” the Anti-Corruption Unit added.
SHAC-U said that Okello demolished a portion of the forest reserve and dumped marram to drain it in order to build a petrol station.
“The Ministry of Water and Environment informed Okello that he was encroaching on the forest reserve. The Ministry also attempted to prevent him from building a petrol station there, but with the help of some politicians and money, he was able to overpower them,” said the Anti-Corruption Unit.
Okello and his accomplice were remanded to Luzira prisons and will appear in court on December 19, 2023.