Ex-Lira zonal land boss, Francis Ateng, to be sentenced on November 7

The State House Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate, Rachel Nakyazze, has remanded Ateng Francis, former Principal Assistant Secretary at the Lira Lands Zonal Offices, to Luzira Prison until November 7, 2025, following his conviction on eleven counts of land fraud.

Ateng was found guilty of illegally facilitating the sale of land belonging to the Uganda Railways Corporation, located on Mukwano Road in Lira District. The charges included abuse of office, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, forgery, uttering false documents, and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The court heard that in January 2018, Ateng conspired with his accomplice, Ocen Joseph, a Lira businessman, to unlawfully transfer prime public land comprising FRV 2020 Folio 13, Plots 42–50, Mukwano Road, Lira. Ocen had earlier pleaded guilty to personating a public officer and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after entering a plea bargain.

He subsequently served as a prosecution witness in Ateng’s trial.

Evidence presented by Senior State Attorney Viola Tusingwire revealed that Ocen Joseph falsely presented himself as Kateba Charles, Managing Director of Uganda Railways Corporation, and signed documents required for the illegal land transaction.

Ateng Francis then irregularly processed a special certificate of title, leading to the unlawful allocation of the land.

During the trial, eight prosecution witnesses testified, including a handwriting expert, officials from the Uganda Railways Corporation, and Ateng’s subordinate, Okello Robert, who was responsible for uploading forged documents into the Uganda National Land Information System.

Chief Magistrate Nakyazze ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, stating, “I find Ateng Francis guilty on all counts. He is hereby convicted and remanded until November 7, 2025, for sentencing.”

A third suspect, Ogangi Walter, a businessman from Mukono district, remains at large.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 7, 2025, at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit arrested Ateng Francis and Ocen Joseph for their roles in the illegal sale of Uganda Railways Corporation land. A third accomplice, Ogangi Walter, a businessman from Kiwanga-Goma Division, Mukono Municipality, remains at large.

Presiding Chief Magistrate Rachel Nakyazze delivered the judgment based on evidence from eight prosecution witnesses presented by Senior State Attorney Viola Tusingwire from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In her ruling, she stated, “In the result, I find the prosecution has discharged its burden. I find A1, Ateng Francis, guilty. I proceed to convict him on Count 1 of Abuse of Office; Count 3, Fraudulent Procurement of a Certificate of Title; Counts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 of Forgery; Count 11, Uttering a False Document; and Count 12, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. I so order. You have a right of appeal on conviction.”

The evidence presented in court detailed a sophisticated forgery scheme. Ateng and Ocen fabricated transfer forms for the land on Plots 42-50 along Mukwano Road in Lira, falsely claiming the documents had been signed by the Managing Director of Uganda Railways Corporation, Kateba Charles.

To complete the fraudulent application process, the conspirators used Ocen Joseph’s National Identity, email, and TIN number. A key prosecution witness, Okello Robert—who was Ateng Francis’s subordinate—testified that he was used to upload the forged title documents into the Uganda National Land Information System.

This testimony was corroborated by evidence from URC Managing Director Kateba Charles, URC Secretary Grace Okot, and a Handwriting Expert, all of whom confirmed that the documents were falsified.

The ‘suite of forged documents’ included the transfer form, an application for the issuance of a special certificate of title, a statutory declaration, and an application for consent to transfer or sublease. These documents were then presented to the Registrar of Titles, Tayebwa Francis, under the false pretence that they had been legitimately signed by the URC Managing Director.

Ateng Francis, who concealed his face from cameras with a mask and hat upon leaving court, has been remanded to Luzira Prison until November 7, 2025.