KAMPALA, Uganda (UGNEWSLINE)- A businessman has been convicted for forging a letter bearing President Yoweri Museveni’s purported signature in an attempt to influence the renewal of Nation Oil Distributors Limited’s contract to manage MV Kalangala for another 15 years.
Male Nicholus was convicted on seven counts of forgery and uttering false documents after pleading guilty before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The court sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences running concurrently.
According to the case details, Male presented a letter dated August 15, 2025, to the Ministry of Works and Transport on September 18, 2025. The document falsely claimed that the President had directed the minister to renew Nation Oil Distributors Limited’s contract to manage the ferry for a further 15 years.
The forged letter was also delivered to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and Nation Oil Distributors Limited’s offices in Ndeba.
Investigators established that Male had allegedly portrayed himself to the company’s director as an official working with the Office of the Prime Minister. He also claimed to have connections to senior government officials who could help secure the contract extension.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Criminal Investigations Directorate investigated the case, while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions handled the prosecution.
In its assessment, the court said the forgery amounted to a serious abuse of the President’s person and office. It warned that such acts could undermine public confidence in government institutions and expose unsuspecting people to fraud.
The court further noted that Male had forged appointment letters in the names of several individuals, falsely claiming that the documents had been issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.
The conviction highlights the legal consequences of forging official documents and using the purported authority of senior government leaders to influence public or private business decisions.
