Otuke Magistrate Court presided over by Her Worship Irene Aber on Tuesday, August 5 remanded three persons accused of stealing over shs1.5 billion meant for compensating elderly victims of cattle raids.
On Tuesday, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, working jointly with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), arraigned the accused before the court.
The accused includes Jimmy Akasa Mokili, a 43-year-old businessman and former candidate of NRM primaries for Agago West, Agago district, Jaspher Okengo, 58-year-old LC3 chairperson of Ogor sub-county, Otuke district.
Sgt. Amoni Benz alias Okengo Bonny, a 42-year-old UPDF soldier attached to RA 163296.
They face charges of theft and conspiracy to defraud beneficiaries of the cattle compensation program, which was intended for elderly victims who lost livestock during the LRA insurgency and Karamoja cattle raids in Otuke district.
Investigations reveal that the accused, alongside others still at large, exploited the registration and bank account opening process to obtain victims’ banking details.
They then manipulated the accounts, withdrawing government funds without the victims’ knowledge—or in some cases, giving them only a fraction of the compensation.
While reading the charges, Magistrate Aber outlined the following offences: Between January 22 and June 24, 2024, in Otuke and Agago districts, the suspects stole: shs8,025,000 from Ogali Richard, shs7,950,000 from Adongo Hellen Rose, shs7,954,631 from Alor Carlo.
They are also accused of stealing shs8,000,000 from Alor Francesko, shs8,110,062 from Ojede Okello Anjilo, shs6,980,013 from Owuni Alipio and shs8,101,062 from Abura Gabriel.
The stolen funds in Otuke district alone exceed shs1.5 billion, with similar cases under investigation in other districts across Lango, Acholi, and Teso sub-regions.
Magistrate Aber remanded the suspects until August 19, 2025, as investigations continue.
Additional reporting by Denis Arao
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