November 21, 2023.
Lira, Uganda | This morning, the Anti-Corruption Unit of State House Uganda, in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Department of the Uganda Police, brought businessman and former parliamentary candidate for Lira City West division Ojuka Anthony before the Lira Chief Magistrates Court. He faces charges of fraudulent procurement of a Certificate of Title and conspiracy to commit a felony. Ojuka Anthony has been remanded until December 21, 2023.
The allegations against Anthony and others involve a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain registration for a freehold Certificate of Title on government land, specifically plot 17 Ben Emor Road at Ireda Estate in Lira District. The accused individuals are said to have conspired between February 2019 and September 2020 at the Lira Lands Office. The case suggests that, during this period, they manipulated the registration process, misappropriating government land.
It is further alleged that a questionable resolution passed by the Lira District Executive Committee between 2017 and 2019 led to the titling of the land while excluding a portion under the pretext of encroachment. The excluded part was purportedly shared among political and technical staff of the district. Anthony Ojuka, identified as one of the political leaders involved, registered the allocated share in the name of his sister, Atino Hilda.
Investigations have uncovered that the claims of encroachment were unfounded, indicating a calculated effort by leaders to misappropriate government land. Ojuka Anthony, who served as the Secretary of Production & National Resources at Lira District Local Government, now faces consequences for his alleged involvement in these activities.
Notably, this is not the first time Anthony Ojuka has faced legal troubles. In April 2023, Lira Chief Magistrate court remanded Anthony Ojuka on charges of threatening violence and soliciting a bribe. The accusations involved an incident where Ojuka allegedly threatened a businessman and clan head, Mr. Christopher Jogole, and, together with Ken Allan Owani, solicited a bribe from another businessman, Franco Eryao, to facilitate the processing of a land title from Lira zonal land office. They were apprehended as they attempted to collect the negotiated bribe of shillings 75 million from Hotel Good News.
Last year, the former parliamentary candidate for Lira City West division called for a government investigation into corruption within the Ministry of Land zonal office in Lira district. He accused ministry officials of engaging in land brokerage, illegal processing of land titles, and collaboration with individuals to sell government land.
