Businessman, ex-planner in custody over Lira forest reserve encroachment

LIRA - A businessman from Lira and a former civil servant have once again found themselves on the wrong side of the law following fresh allegations of land fraud.

Lawrence Okello, 47, a prominent businessman, and Geoffrey Omara, a former physical planner with Lira city, were arrested by police in collaboration with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) and transported to Kampala for prosecution.

The two were picked up from Lira City Central Police Station on Sunday evening by an SH-ACU team using a police double-cabin pickup and taken to Kampala ahead of an anticipated court appearance. 

A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Okello is due to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court on Monday, April 28, 2025, in connection with a case involving the alleged illegal acquisition of land within the Lira Central Forest Reserve, where he has since constructed a petrol station.

This is not Okello’s first brush with the law over the same matter. He was initially arrested in December 2023 alongside Joel Okwir, former chairperson of the area land committee of the Railways Division. Although charges were brought before the Lira Magistrates’ Court, the case was dismissed.

The duo had faced five serious charges, including fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, altering and destroying forest boundary marks, unlawfully occupying forest reserve land for commercial purposes, and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Prosecution alleges that between November and December 2020, Okello fraudulently procured a freehold title for Plot 4A Station Road at Railways Quarters A — land legally designated as part of the Lira Plantations Central Forest Reserve.

He is accused of altering forest boundaries without authority, clearing forest land, and operating a petrol station, Oil Energy, on the site.

Okello’s name is not new in circles of alleged encroachment on protected areas.

In December last year, SH-ACU, again working with police, arrested him for illegally constructing a petrol station on the Pece Stream wetland in Bardege-Layibi Division, Gulu city.

That case remains ongoing after he was released on bail by the Makindye Chief Magistrates’ Court.

Meanwhile, Omara, his co-accused, was convicted in September 2022 for soliciting and receiving a bribe of sh4 million to extend a government land lease. In 2013, Omara was also arrested for allegedly accepting sh35 million from a private individual, Geoffrey Ebong, in exchange for a land allocation that never materialised.

That case was eventually dropped after restitution.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has intensified investigations into widespread land fraud in Lira City, where public officials and politicians are suspected of colluding with businessmen to illegally acquire and sell public land.

Earlier this month, SH-ACU arrested Paul Allan Cankoma, chairperson of the Lira District Land Board, over allegations of soliciting bribes in exchange for land allocation.

His alleged accomplices, former councillors Anthony Ojuka and Ken Allan Owani, are reportedly on the run.