KAMPALA UGANDA: 07 August 2026— The Acting Town Clerk of Luwa Town Council in Namisindwa District, Samuel Kurobe, has been remanded to prison after being charged with abuse of office in connection with an inflated land purchase transaction.
Kurobe was arraigned on Friday afternoon before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court following a joint operation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), and the Police Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
The Allegations
According to court documents and investigators, Namisindwa District Local Government allocated UGX 150 million to Luwa Town Council for the acquisition of land and the construction of administrative offices.
Of that budget, UGX 40 million was officially reported as spent on a piece of land situated in Kungu Cell, Bunambobi Ward, Luwa Town Council. However, state investigators reveal that:
Procurement Bypassed: The transaction was allegedly executed without following mandatory public procurement procedures or securing an official land valuation.
Inflated Figures: Investigations established that the land was actually bought for UGX 12 million, leaving a unexplained discrepancy of UGX 28 million.
Forged Documents: Kurobe allegedly orchestrated the creation of a forged sale agreement reflecting a fake purchase price of UGX 40 million to cover up the inflated cost.
Investigators contend that Kurobe, who holds the role of Senior Assistant Secretary in the district while assigned as Acting Town Clerk, abused the authority of his office to facilitate the illicit transaction.
Kurobe pleaded to the charges and was remanded until August 13, 2026, when he is scheduled to reappear in court for further proceedings.
The arrest forms part of the ongoing “Expose the Corrupt” national campaign spearheaded by the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara. The initiative targets financial mismanagement, procurement fraud, and abuse of authority across local government administration nationwide.
