OTUKE
In a shocking development, three individuals, a politician, a local council chairperson and a soldier have been arraigned before the Otuke Magistrate’s Court over the alleged embezzlement of UGX 1.5 billion (approximately $400,000 USD) intended for elderly victims of past conflicts in Northern Uganda.
The suspects were presented by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). They include:Akasa Jimmy Mokili, a politician and businessman from Agago District, Okengo Jaspher the LCIII Chairperson of Ogor Sub-county, Otuke District, Sgt. Amoni Benz (alias Okengo Bonny) a Soldier with the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).
The three face charges of theft and conspiracy to defraud beneficiaries of the northern Uganda cattle compensation programme.
The compensation programme was established to support elderly individuals who lost livestock during two major crises: the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency and the Karamoja cattle raids. However, investigations have uncovered a disturbing scheme in which the accused allegedly exploited the programme to siphon off funds meant for these vulnerable victims.
Authorities report that the suspects, along with accomplices still at large, manipulated the registration and bank account setup processes. By fraudulently acquiring victims’ banking details, they gained control over the accounts and diverted government compensation funds for personal gain.
In many cases, victims were unaware of the theft. Some received only a small portion of their entitled compensation, while the majority of the funds were withdrawn by the suspects.
Although the current charges pertain to UGX 1.5 billion stolen within Otuke District, investigators believe this case may represent only a fraction of a broader fraud network. Similar schemes are reportedly under investigation in other districts across the Lango, Acholi, and Teso sub-regions.
All three suspects have been remanded into custody until August 19, 2025, as investigations continue to identify and apprehend additional perpetrators and uncover the full scope of the fraud.
