By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The former Kilak North parliamentary aspirant, Christopher Ojera, has been arrested and remanded to prison over allegations of obtaining Shs17.1 million from a businesswoman by false pretences.
Ojera who appeared before the Gulu Chief Magistrate’s Court, on Wednesday, 4th March, 2026 where he was formally charged with obtaining money by false pretences, conned the money from a Restaurant owner in Kamdini Town Council called, Monica Giriza.
According to prosecution, Ojera contacted Monica in April, 2025 where he praised her restaurant, Karibu Eldoret Restaurant in Kamdini Town Council and promised her a lucrative government catering contract using the names of OWC Salim Saleh and Philip Idro.
Ojera promised to hand a catering contract involving over 650 guests in a meeting allegedly organized by Salim Saleh to take place at the Presidential Skilling Hub in Gulu City on 4th June, 2025.
Ojera allegedly presented a letter to Monica indicating she would be paid Shs134M for providing meals, breakfast and bull roasting and refreshments for a period of four days.
However, things took a suspicious turn when Ojera asked for Shs18M claiming it was to guarantee her contract. He did this on 31st May, 2025 barely a month after the initial contact.
The lady struggled and initially raised Shs7.6M which Ojera directed her to take to a one Florence at the Office of the Prime Minister in Gulu City.
A few days later, Ojera called again demanding the balance insisting he would personally deposit it on the Consolidated Account yet investigations show, he immediately deposited Shs5M on his Mobile Money Account.
On the eve of the supposed meeting, Monica called Ojera to be updated on the Menu. Ojera advised her to prepare ripe bananas and eggs. She went ahead and purchased food items amounting to Shs3.7M.
However, on 4th June, the date of the purported meeting, Ojera went AWOL with all his known telephone contacts switched off. Realizing she had been duped, Monica reported the matter to Gulu CPS.
When initially confronted by Police, Ojera denied knowledge of the monies. However, police showed mobile money transactions, photographs and recorded communications linking him to the transaction. Ojera broke down, pleaded guilty and asked not to be exposed since he was competing for the NRM Flag at the time, promising to pay back the money in instalments.
After being released on police bond, Ojera went into hiding until 1st March, 2026 when he was tracked down at Kamdini Town Council after a water vendor sighted him alighting from a Taxi coming from Kampala.
Ojera denied the allegations during his appearance in court. However, the presiding magistrate ordered that he be remanded to prison until today, 5th March, 2026.
If convicted, Ojera could face a custodial sentence under Uganda’s Penal Code for the offence of obtaining money by false pretences.
