Two Lira District Officials Jailed Over Illegal Sale of Government Land
By Okidi Patrick Ocamoyitdyel
Lira Uganda: Two senior officials of Lira District Local Government have been jailed after pleading guilty to facilitating the irregular acquisition of district land by a private individual.
The Anti-Corruption Court on Thursday, convicted and sentenced Senior Land Management Officer Joseph Ocen Alwong to four years in prison and District Staff Surveyor Francis Opio to three years in prison.
The embattled officers were convicted through a plea bargain agreement reached between their defence and the prosecution.
According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the officials facilitated the irregular issuance of a freehold certificate of title for land belonging to Lira District. The land was subsequently registered as Plot 19, Ben Emor Road, Ireda Estate, in the name of Alwong’s daughter.
Prosecution told court that the officials falsely claimed that Alwong’s daughter was the customary owner of the land in order to obtain the title.
The offences were allegedly committed between February 2019 and October 2020, when the two were serving in their respective positions at the district.
It should be noted that both Alwong and Opio were first arrested and charged in 2024 in a joint operation by the Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
They were charged with abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud.
In a statement, the Anti-Corruption Unit said the conviction is part of ongoing efforts to prosecute cases involving abuse of public office and misappropriation of government property.
The Unit said the case was handled through coordinated efforts by the Anti-Corruption Unit, CID and the ODPP.
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