The Entebbe Chief Magistrate, Stella Maris Amabilis, scolded Charles Kyagaba, a suspected land grabber who is accused of seven counts related to land grabbing, accusing him of tarnishing her reputation when he allegedly purported to have given two acres of land to the judicial officer. 

"I have been hearing things that have not amused me where the accused (Kyagaba) has been saying he gave me two acres of land," the magistrate remarked during a court session on Monday.

She warned Kyagaba, who was standing in a court dock, to desist from using her name in his dealings. 

"Leave my name out of it. I don't know you. I am just doing my work. Never mention my name in your deals," Amabilis reproached Kyagaba. "I even fear getting any (land) in Entebbe with this kind of thing. If he has ever given me land, let him tell the court where it is located," the chief magistrate insisted.

Charles Kyagaba standing in the court dock at Entebbe magistrates court. (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

However, Kyagaba's lawyer Moses Kabega objected to the allegation saying his client has been in prison for the past four months hence, having no means of making public allegations of such kind. 

"Your worship, with all fairness, my client has been in prison for the last four months. He is trying to fight for his life. Then who is he talking to," Kabega wondered. Kabega on the other hand said, it was prejudice of his client that the trial magistrate was being told words that could not be substantiated.

Kyagaba with Benon Kabuusu and Ronald Turyasingura are facing charges in relation to land grabbing and malicious damage to property. Hearing of their matter and bail application was adjourned to Friday, January 27. The accused have since asked for an out of court settlement with all the complainants in the matter and all other cases where they stand to be charged.

In respect to all the files against Kyagaba, court directed both parties to make written submissions and objections by the next convening on January 27, when the bail application shall also be heard. Meanwhile, at the court sidelines, Dr Anatoli Kamugisha, the developer of Akright Projects Limited, also a complainant against Kyagaba, lauded the manner in which the court is handling Kyagaba's case.

According to Dr Kamugisha, Kyagaba had compromised most of the institutions mandated to curb vices such as land grabbing until the anti-corruption unit of the State House intervened.

Emmanuel Mujaasi of Ziru in Wakiso district narrated how Kyagaba destroyed his banana plantation in an effort to have him off a certain contested piece of land. "He had also mastered the art of installing fake grave-yards on a contested piece of land, to claim ownership," Mujaasi narrated.

Several other residents were seen holding placards outside the court premises, asking court not to grant bail to Kyagaba, describing him as a staunch land grabber who would distort evidence and ongoing investigations against him.