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LIRA - A Lira tycoon has been temporarily deprived of his freedom after being charged with fraud and remanded to Lira Main Prison.

Geoffrey Etwop, 55, a resident of Junior Quarters Cell, Kirombe Ward, Lira City West Division appeared before Chief Magistrate Samson Abiti Loum, pleaded not guilty and was remanded.  

He was arrested in Kampala on Thursday by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, working with the Police CID, and driven to appear in Court on Friday.

The businessman, who is also the NRM District Treasurer of Lira City is accused of fraudulent procurement of certificate of title contrary to Section 190 of the Registration of Titles Act Cap 230.

The Prosecution stated that Etwop between August 2017 and November 2020 at Lira Lands Offices in Lira District, fraudulently procured the registration on a freehold certificate of title for Plot 16 – 18, Soroti Road at Camp Swahili into his name.  

According to available documents, Etwop presented a letter dated December 23, 2019, to the District Land Board and Lira MZO, among other land application documents, stating that the Physical Planning Committee Lira Municipal Council had approved his application to be granted a freehold title for Plot 16-18 Soroti Road, Camp Swahili under minute number LMC PPC 083/12/2019, which was not true.

The land in question is a public open space, according to the approved Physical Plan of Lira Municipal Council 2016-2026.

Bail application 

Etwop through his lawyers, Robert Irumba and Marvin Aba of Tian Advocates applied for bail and presented four sureties including his wife, son, and two friends.

The lawyer said Etwop is a law-abiding citizen, has a permanent place of abode, and that the case is bailable.

The State Attorney Paul Omara who stood in for the Resident Chief State Attorney said he has instructions from his boss that he will be the one to respond to the bail application so the court should give a short adjournment.

The defense lawyer objected arguing that the court could go ahead and grant bail
The Chief Magistrate in his ruling said he is giving the state until Monday to give a reply to the bail application and then remanded the accused till Monday when he will reappear for hearing of bail application response.

The State House Anti Corruption Unit is investigating several land fraud cases in Lira where public land is plotted and sold off to private developers illegally.

Reports indicate that Politicians connive with technocrats and lease land in the names of their relatives before selling it off to private buyers.