The Makindye Standards, Utilities & Wildlife Court has sentenced Martin Owomugisha, to a seven years imprisonment term over forgery and fraudulent use of environmental approval certificates.
On Tuesday, the Chief Magistrate Her Worship Gladys Kamasanyu, convicted Owomugisha of forging NEMA Certificates of Approval, uttering false documents and obtaining money by false pretences.
The conviction follows an intelligence-led operation conducted on March 23rd by NEMA’s Environment Protection Force and Environment Protection Police Unit in South Western Uganda, Mbarara.
The operation led to Owomugisha’s arrest over forged environmental approval certificates linked to fuel station projects in Bikurungu, Rukungiri District, and Mahyoro, Kitagwenda District.
According to prosecution, Owomugisha forged two certificates purportedly issued by NEMA to Kisu Energy Petroleum-SMC Ltd.
He later uttered the forged documents and obtained UGX 8 million from Ismail Mugisha by falsely pretending that he would secure NEMA environmental approval certificates for the company.
The court sentenced Owomugisha to seven years’ imprisonment for forging the two certificates and seven years for uttering the false documents.
He was also sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for obtaining money by false pretences, with both sentences to run concurrently.
The Head Corporate Communications at NEMA, Naomi Karekaho, noted that the conviction sends a strong message that forging or fraudulently using environmental approval documents is a serious criminal offence.
“Environmental approvals are important safeguards for ensuring that proposed projects undergo appropriate environmental and social assessment before implementation” she said,
Ms Karekaho further cautioned developers, investors and the public against individuals claiming they can privately procure, sell or issue NEMA environmental and social approvals.
