The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has secured the conviction of four individuals, including senior government officials, over the irregular acquisition and disposal of Lira District Local Government land.
According to a statement issued by the ODPP’s Public Relations Officer, Jackie Okui, on July 23, 2027, Principal Magistrate Grade I His Worship Opit Christopher of the Anti-Corruption Court convicted two officials from Lira District Local Government, an official from the Ministry of Lands’ Lira Zonal Office, and a private individual.
The prosecution told the court that between February and August 2019, Lira District Local Government began the process of obtaining a certificate of title for land located at Ireda Estate.
During the survey process, Francis Opio, then the District Staff Surveyor, and Pabious Otike, then the District Natural Resources Officer, allegedly excluded a portion of the district land from the official survey.
The prosecution further stated that, with the assistance of Joel Ogwang, a cartographer attached to the Ministry of Lands’ Lira Zonal Office, the excluded land was fraudulently registered under a Freehold Certificate of Title for Plot 3–5 Ben Emor Road, Ireda Estate, in the name of Atoo Rebecca, who is identified as a sister of Francis Opio.
According to the prosecution, after the title was obtained, Rebecca Atoo sold the land to Pius Olam, with all the accused persons participating in and witnessing the transaction.
After considering the evidence presented during the trial, the Anti-Corruption Court found all the accused persons guilty and convicted them on charges of Abuse of Office, Fraudulent Procurement of a Certificate of Title, and Conspiracy to Defraud.
The prosecution was led by Gertrude Apio, Senior State Attorney in the Anti-Corruption Department of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
