State seeks jail term for ex-lands officer over Lira railway land fraud

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The State has asked the Anti-Corruption Court to hand a custodial sentence to Francis Ateng, the former principal assistant secretary at the Lira Ministry of Lands Zonal Office, for his involvement in the fraudulent allocation of Uganda Railways Corporation land in Lira district.

During submissions on November 10 2025, before Chief Magistrate Racheal Nakyazze at the Anti-Corruption Court in Nakasero, senior state attorney Viola Atusingwire from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the offence for which Ateng was convicted carries a heavy penalty of up to 12 years in prison.

Ateng was convicted on October 24, 2025, and his bail was cancelled as he awaits sentencing.

“Your Worship, as the prosecution, we do not have any previous criminal record against the convict. However, the offences for which he has been convicted are very serious in nature,” Atusingwire said.

She explained that the charges were grave, including forgery, which under Section 342 of the Penal Code Act (as amended) attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; abuse of office, which carries a maximum of seven years; and conspiracy to commit a felony, which also attracts a seven-year prison term.

“Basing on the seriousness of these offences, it is our humble prayer that a custodial sentence would be appropriate. The convict was a public officer and had a duty to preserve and protect public property. To the contrary, he abused his office by participating in a fraudulent scheme,” Atusingwire told court.

However, Ateng’s lawyer, Evans Ochieng, urged the court to impose a fine instead of a custodial sentence, arguing that his client is a family man with several dependents who rely on him for survival.

Ochieng said Ateng had shown remorse and deeply regretted his actions, adding that a prison sentence would cause undue suffering to his family.

“Your worship, the convict is remorseful and has learnt from his mistake. He has dependents who entirely rely on him for their livelihood. A custodial sentence would not only punish him but also inflict hardship on his innocent family members,” Ochieng said.

He further asked the court to consider Ateng’s cooperation during the trial and his previously clean record, saying these should be treated as mitigating factors when determining the appropriate sentence.

Atusingwire told court that Ateng facilitated the fraudulent process by approving and uploading forged documents into the Uganda National Land Information System, which led to the unlawful allocation of the land. The case was investigated by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

In her judgment, Magistrate Nakyazze said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found Ateng guilty on all counts.

“I find the prosecution has discharged its burden. I therefore find Ateng guilty and convict him on all the counts,” Nakyazze said.

She added that after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence, sentencing would be delivered on November 24, 2025. Ateng was remanded to Luzira Prison, where he has been held since his conviction.