UGANDA, Lira | Real Muloodi News | Former members of the Lira District Executive Committee have been accused of sharing plots of government land at Ireda Housing Estate, according to a whistleblower who has filed a case detailing the alleged fraud.
The whistleblower, Stephen Alele, claims that in 2019 and 2022, at least 12 plots at Ireda Housing Estate in Lira City East Division were fraudulently allocated to the accused political leaders by then-secretary for Lira District Land Board, Hellen Anyango.
Among the beneficiaries of the alleged Lira land fraud bonanza were the former Lira secretary for production and marketing, former Lira LC5 vice chairman, Lira senior land management officer, chairman of the Lira District Land Board, and chairman of the production committee. Others named in the case include members of the Lira District Land Board, the former Lira District speaker, and senior assistant secretary at the Ministry Zonal Office in Lira.
However, to avoid appearing corrupt, beneficiaries used names of their relatives to share the plots, according to Alele’s statement.
The apportioned land includes plot 07, 09, 11, 13, 17, 19, 21, and 23, all on Ben Emor Road, as well as plots 02, 04, 14, and 16, on Abosolom Oteng Road.
These plots are part of the land belonging to the Uganda Police Force, according to official documents, which were acquired through a recent court ruling under miscellaneous cause number 016 of 2018.
Alele also accuses the Lira District Land Board of committing contempt of court by apportioning the land despite a court injunction on the estate.
“I have already recorded a statement with the police and I am aware the former secretary for the Lira District Land Board, Anyango, was summoned to record a statement,” Alele said on Monday, 27 March.
North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Patrick Jimmy Okema, confirmed that the force is handling the matter. However, no move has been made towards the other implicated persons, and Okema stated that the police were yet to get statements from various personalities believed to be involved, starting with the area land board people.
Background
On February 21, 2023, Lira High Court declared that the land adjacent to the new Akii-Bua Stadium is a property of the Uganda Police Force, and that any transfer or sale of the land is illegal and prejudicial to the interests of Uganda Police Force. The case had been filed by Alele, Isaac Omara and Anthony Odur against the Lira District leadership and Lira District Land Board. The court also issued a permanent injunction against the respondents, prohibiting them from transferring or selling the land to third parties or potential developers.
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