Former city planner, Lira tycoon remanded over forest reserve

KAMPALA - Geoffrey Omara, former Lira City Physical Planner, and Lawrence Okello, a well-known businessman in Lira, have been remanded to Luzira Prisons after denying multiple charges related to land fraud, including illegal acquisition of land in a protected forest reserve.

Arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on Tuesday afternoon, the duo face a string of charges including abuse of office, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, conspiracy to commit a felony, altering boundary marks, and illegally clearing and occupying a forest reserve for commercial purposes.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) in collaboration with the Uganda Police Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), allege that Omara abused his position by issuing a falsified forwarding letter dated 12th June 2018. 

The letter was addressed to the Secretary of the Lira District Land Board and falsely claimed that the Physical Planning Committee had approved a leasehold application on land within the Lira Central Forest Reserve.

Prosecution accuses Omara of fraudulently processing and securing a land title for the forest reserve, which was subsequently transferred to Lawrence Okello. 

Okello then began constructing commercial premises at the same venue by cutting down parts of the forest, filling the land with murram and commencing construction of a petrol station.

Both accused pleaded not guilty to all charges and were remanded until May 6, 2025, when they are expected to return to court for a bail hearing and mention of the case. 

They were arrested in Lira last week and transported to Kampala on Sunday evening.

Omara has previously been convicted twice on similar charges involving the illegal sale of government land in Lira City and District.

The SH-ACU is currently investigating multiple cases of land fraud in Lira, a district that has become a hotspot for illegal land transactions involving politicians, businesspeople, and public officials. 

Several suspects have been prosecuted and convicted in recent years, and authorities have successfully recovered some parcels of land fraudulently acquired by private developers.

Lira’s land woes are exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and political interference, with forest reserves, wetlands, and public land increasingly targeted for commercial development. 

Activists and conservationists have raised alarm over the degradation of protected areas, urging the government to enforce stricter measures to protect public land.