The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has convicted and sentenced businessman Nicholus Male to 18 months’ imprisonment for forging the signature of President Yoweri Museveni on government documents.
Male was convicted after pleading guilty to seven counts of forgery and uttering false documents. He was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The case was investigated by the Anti-Corruption Unit and the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), with prosecution led by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Court records indicate that the case arose from an incident on September 18, 2025, when Male allegedly presented a forged letter dated August 15, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Works and Transport and purportedly signed by President Museveni.
The letter falsely claimed that the President had directed the minister to renew Nation Oil Distributors Limited’s contract to manage MV Kalangala for a further 15 years.
Male allegedly delivered the forged document to the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and the offices of Nation Oil Distributors Limited in Ndeeba.
Investigations further established that Male had earlier presented himself to the company’s director as a person working with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). He reportedly claimed to have connections with senior government officials who could facilitate the renewal of the contract for managing MV Kalangala.
In its assessment of the offences, the court described Male’s actions as a serious disregard for authority and an abuse of the person and office of the President.
The court warned that such offences could undermine the reputation of the President and encourage similar fraudulent schemes, including the extortion of money from unsuspecting members of the public.
It also noted that Male had forged appointment letters in the names of several individuals, falsely presenting them as documents issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.
The court observed that the fraudulent documents had the potential to undermine public confidence in government institutions by falsely associating them with unlawful activities.
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