Three people have been charged in connection with the theft of over UGX 1.5 billion meant to compensate elderly victims who lost cattle during past conflicts in Northern Uganda.
This major arrest was made possible by a joint operation involving the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The suspects were taken to Otuke Magistrate’s Court this afternoon, where they were formally charged with theft and conspiracy to defraud.
Those accused are Akasa Jimmy Mokili, a well-known politician and businessman from Agago District; Okengo Jaspher, the LCIII Chairperson of Ogor Sub-county in Otuke; and Sergeant Amoni Benz, a UPDF soldier who also goes by the name Okengo Bonny.
According to investigators, the suspects took advantage of the cattle compensation programme, which was set up by the government to help elderly people who lost their livestock during the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency and the Karamoja cattle raids. These people, mostly from Otuke District, had waited for many years to receive support for their losses.
Instead of helping, the suspects reportedly used the registration and bank account opening process to steal personal information from the victims. With this data, they were able to gain access to the victims’ bank accounts and withdraw the compensation money. In some heartbreaking cases, victims were given only a small portion of what they were owed — or nothing at all.
Investigations show that in Otuke District alone, more than UGX 1.5 billion has been stolen in this way. Authorities are also looking into similar thefts in other districts across the Lango, Acholi, and Teso sub-regions, where the compensation programme is still ongoing.
The suspects have been remanded in custody until August 19, 2025, as investigations continue and more suspects are being tracked down.
This scandal has shocked many Ugandans, especially in the north, where communities still bear the scars of past wars and cattle raids. The government has promised to recover the stolen funds and ensure that the real beneficiaries receive their rightful compensation.
