LC3 chairman arrested over illegal sale of gov't land

Police in Kiryandongo on Sunday evening arrested the LC3 chairperson of Mutunda Sub County, Deo Kisembo, for alleged involvement in illegal land sale and allocation of government land.

It is alleged that, Kisembo was involved in giving away land in ranches 9, 10 and 11, gazetted government land in exchange for money.

He was arrested along with Godfrey Wamono, a councillor representing Kakwokwo Parish in Mutunda.

Most of the people who were offered land are believed to be Rwandese, Burundians, South Sudanese, and a few Ugandans.

According to the District Police Commander, Bernard Katwalo, a resident only identified as Mzee Amonyi reported cases of trespass on his land by strangers who had been offered land by one Musa Faraj, the LC1 NRM flag bearer for Kimogora Village, who is said to be working with the chairperson and the councillor.

Katwalo said the man's crops were destroyed and they seemed to have done it intentionally to expand their territory in the area.

Faraj, according to the DPC is still at large but Police will continue to look for him as investigations go on.

Linos Ngompek, the Kiryandongo Resident District Commissioner who also heads the district security committee said the district is mandated to offer security to the residents and won't entertain anyone, be it a leader, who compromises security.

"These people have been giving away land to people who above all, illegally entered the district. Their interest is getting money. We have got reports that they even formed a militia group comprised of foreigners, mostly South Sudanese, Burundians, Rwandese and a few Ugandans, and they are camped in Vumiliya and Kasanja, all in Kimogora village," Ngompek said.

Ngompek added that reports also indicate that Faraj along with his accomplices entice people from other districts to come to Kiryandongo such that he can sell them land, an act he said is compromising security in the area.

Police from Kimogora Police Post had earlier gone to arrest the suspects from their said camps but they were chased away by people wielding machetes.