LIRA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY; Lira Municipal Council physical planner Omara Geoffrey has been remanded to Luzira Prison by the Kololo based Anti-Corruption Court, for soliciting and receiving Shs. 4 million a bribe meant to extend a lease.
Omara Godfrey, allegedly received the money that he was meant to share with colleagues but opted to consume it alone, prompting one of his accomplices Ogwal Philip, prompting Ogwal to alert who had offered the bribe to pay another portion.
It is alleged that in 2015, Ms. Rehema Akello acquired land from Lira District on lease that expired after a period of 5 years. However, due to COVID-19 challenges, she was unable to file in her lease extension application on time and in June 2020, she submitted an application to the district for a lease extension. Omara Geofrey, the Lira city planner, and Ogwal Philip, the Lira District Local Government’s Physical planner, both considered this a late submission.
The duo demanded Shs. 4 million from Ms. Akello stating the money was needed to help the land board work on her file. She initially refused to pay, but after being persuaded by Omara Geoffrey for six months, she gave the money to him using mobile money on October 29, 2020.
News of the bribe reached to corruption fighters, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit- SH-ACU arrived on February 4, 2022 and in collaboration with the Uganda police conducted investigations that led to the arrest of Omara Geoffrey. His alleged accomplice Ogwal Philip the District physical planner is still at large.
Mr. Omara Geoffrey was Thursday May, 5, 2022 charged with corruption c/s 2(a) and 26 of the anti-corruption Act, 2009. He has been remanded to Luzira prison.