Amolatar, Uganda: A chief magistrate’s court in Amolatar District has sentenced 26-year-old Bonny Oluk to 13 years in prison after he admitted to impersonating a judicial officer to defraud members of the public seeking justice.
Oluk was convicted after pleading guilty before Edgar Kakoma, the same magistrate he had been impersonating, on charges of impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence.
Court records indicate that the fraudster conned victims of more than Shs13 million by pretending to have the authority to influence court outcomes.
Several victims narrated how the suspect exploited their trust in the justice system by posing as a judicial officer and promising to resolve their cases quickly.
One of the complainants, Grace Adoch, said she handed over Shs1.8 million after Oluk convinced her he could fast-track her case. “I had a case pending at the Local Council court, and he told me he could get it resolved quickly,” Adoch said after the court session.
“He said, ‘Magistrate Kakoma will fix your matter’ and asked for money. I gave him Shs. 1.8 million. Now I don’t know where my case is.”
Another victim, Samuel Odito, said he lost savings that had been set aside for his daughter’s school fees. “He carried himself confidently and spoke like a judicial officer. He even told me to tell others I was dealing with Magistrate Kakoma. I believed him with all my heart,” Odito said.
According to the prosecution, Oluk had initially been remanded until March 17 as investigations continued.
However, the case took an unexpected turn after more than 10 additional complainants reported similar incidents to the Resident State Attorney’s office, prompting the court to revisit the matter urgently.
Magistrate Kakoma said the scale of the fraud made it necessary to expedite the proceedings.
“Every victim deserves justice, and I cannot turn a blind eye when so many have come forward,” Kakoma said during sentencing. “This kind of deceit undermines faith in our legal system,” he added.
How the impersonation scheme worked
Court heard that the convict would dress in professional attire and introduce himself as Magistrate Kakoma, claiming he represented the judiciary.
He would then promise to secure favourable or faster rulings in exchange for money. “He preyed on their desperation for justice,” the prosecution told court.
Police eventually arrested him at BRAC offices in Amolatar Town, bringing an end to the scheme.
Following the conviction, Rebecca Ateenyi urged members of the public to verify the identity of officials before making any payments.
“We urge members of the public to always verify identities of officials before handing over money. Impersonation is a serious offence and this conviction should serve as a deterrent,” Ateenyi said.
Legal experts say such crimes risk eroding public confidence in the justice system.
Legal practitioner Joseph Tumusiime said the case highlights the vulnerability of citizens seeking legal redress. “It is tragic when people seeking justice fall into the hands of fraudsters,” Tumusiime said.
“This sentence sends a strong message that the law will not tolerate those who twist the robes of justice for personal gain.”
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
