The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has sentenced three Lira District Local Government officials to four years in prison each for their role in the fraudulent acquisition and sale of government land.
The convicted officials are Opio Francis, the District Staff Surveyor; Otike Pabius, the District Natural Resources Officer; and Ogwanga Joel, a Cartographer at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development’s Lira Zonal Office.
The court also sentenced Atoo Rebecca, a private individual and sister to Opio Francis, to one year in prison for her involvement in facilitating the fraudulent transaction.
The court heard that between February and August 2019, Lira District Local Government began the process of securing a certificate of title for its land located at Ireda Estate.
During the surveying process, prosecutors told court that Opio and Otike deliberately omitted part of the district’s land. With the assistance of Ogwanga, they allegedly processed a fraudulent Freehold Certificate of Title for Plot 3–5 Ben Emor Road, Ireda Estate, covering the excluded portion of land.
The title was then registered in the names of Atoo Rebecca, who later sold the land to Olam Pius. Court heard that all the accused participated in and witnessed the transaction.
The officials were charged with abuse of office, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title and conspiracy to defraud.
The suspects were first arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Division on June 20, 2023, following investigations by the Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
After considering the evidence presented before it, the court found the accused guilty on all charges and handed down the sentences.
In addition to the prison terms, the three public officers were barred from holding any public office for 10 years after completing their sentences.
The Anti-Corruption Division said the conviction underscores the continued crackdown on abuse of public resources and fraudulent dealings involving government property.
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