The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a Ugandan businessman to 18 months in prison for forging President Museveni’s signature on several government documents.
Nicholas Male, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on October 19th, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to seven counts of forgery and uttering false documents.
Investigations into Male were spearheaded by State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), the Criminal Investigations Directorate and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
According to SHACU, on September 18th, 2025, Male presented a forged letter dated August 15th, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Works and Transport and purportedly signed by H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda.
“The letter falsely claimed that the President had directed the Minister to renew Nation Oil Distributors Limited’s contract to continue managing MV Kalangala for another 15 years. Male allegedly delivered the forged letter to the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and the offices of Nation Oil Distributors Limited in Ndeba,” SHACU said.
Investigations further established that Male had earlier presented himself to the Director of Nation Oil Distributors Limited as a person working with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and claimed to have connections to senior Government officials who could facilitate the renewal of the MV Kalangala management contract.
According to the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, Male’s conduct is an act disregard for authority and an abuse of the person and office of the President.
The court further noted that offences of this nature could damage the reputation of the President and encourage similar fraudulent acts, including obtaining money from unsuspecting members of the public.
Court also noted that Male had forged appointment letters in the names of several individuals, falsely claiming that they had been issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, thereby tainting the image of Government institutions.
Forging the signature of the President of Uganda is prosecuted under the Penal Code Act, Cap 128 of Uganda, specifically through charges of forgery and uttering false documents (Sections 319, 322, 324, 326, and 328).
