NIRA Official Charged with Abuse of Office For Unauthorized National ID Registration

Kampala, Uganda – The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID) has charged the District Registration Officer of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), stationed in Kole district, for alleged abuse of office. The officer is accused of unauthorized use of the registration kit, leading to the unlawful registration of both Ugandan and Foreign Nationals outside his jurisdiction, in breach of NIRA procedures and guidelines.

According to the investigation report, the officer, identified as Asiimwe Fabby Innocent, reportedly transported the registration kit from Kole district to Kampala in the year 2001. Subsequently, he conducted registration operations without proper authorization, registering individuals using forged documents and even processing registrations during late hours of the night, in violation of NIRA guidelines.

The charges brought against Innocent include Abuse of Office under C/S 11(1) of the Anti-corruption Act, as amended. The abuse of office is considered a serious offense, as it has the potential to be exploited for profit and can also be linked to other criminal activities such as terrorism, money laundering, and human trafficking.

The suspect is scheduled to appear before the Anti-corruption division at Kololo to face these charges. The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has emphasized its commitment to work closely with other law enforcement partners to ensure that those who manipulate the National Identification System are held accountable. The integrity of the National Identity Documents issued by NIRA is paramount to safeguarding the nation’s security and welfare.