NGORA, Uganda — Three individuals, including two district officials and a private sector employee, have been arraigned before the Ngora Grade One Magistrates Court over alleged mismanagement of public funds meant for road works.
The suspects, Opio Stanslas Francis, the Acting District Engineer; Okello Samuel, an Assistant Engineering Officer; and Oroni Herbert, Station Manager at Retta Solutions Uganda Limited, were jointly charged with theft and conspiracy to defraud.
They were presented in court by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, working alongside the Criminal Investigations Directorate Uganda and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Uganda. The trio has been remanded until May 5, 2026.
According to investigators, the accused, together with others still at large, allegedly conspired between 2024 and March 2026 to steal fuel worth over UGX 35 million belonging to Ngora District Local Government. The fuel was reportedly falsely accounted for as being used in road construction works within the district.
Findings further indicate that during the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 financial years, Ngora District received approximately UGX 1.75 billion for road construction and maintenance. However, concerns were raised by community members and stakeholders over the poor state of roads, prompting investigations into possible misuse of funds.
Investigators allege that Okello Samuel frequently received fuel without proper authorization or documentation and used it for unknown purposes, reportedly in collusion with Oroni Herbert. Meanwhile, Opio Stanslas is accused of failing to effectively supervise his junior staff, a lapse that allegedly contributed to the misappropriation of resources.
Authorities say the case is part of a wider crackdown on the misuse of public funds across the country. The government routinely disburses grants to districts for infrastructure development, particularly road rehabilitation and maintenance, but oversight agencies have raised concerns over persistent mismanagement.
Investigations are ongoing to apprehend other individuals believed to have been involved in the alleged scheme.
