Three people were brought to the Otuke Magistrate’s Court today for allegedly stealing over 1.5 billion Ugandan shillings meant for people in Northern Uganda who lost livestock during past conflicts.
The suspects are Akasa Jimmy Mokili, a businessman and politician from Agago District; Okengo Jaspher, the LCIII Chairperson of Ogor Sub-county in Otuke; and Sgt. Amoni Benz, a UPDF officer. They face charges of theft and working together to cheat elderly residents who were supposed to receive the cattle compensation money.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions worked together to arrest them.
The suspects are accused of tricking elderly victims by getting their banking details during registration and bank account openings. They then took most or all of the compensation money, leaving the victims with little or nothing.
The court ordered the three to stay in custody until August 19, 2025, when the case will be reviewed again. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are looking into similar scams in the Lango, Acholi, and Teso regions. This is part of a larger effort to stop fraud targeting funds meant for people affected by past conflicts in Northern Uganda.