Land fraud: Anti-corruption unit, Police arraign five in court

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) together with Police have arraigned five people in court over alleged involvement in land fraud.

In one case, SHACU and police arrested Peter Kabaale, a former caretaker of land belonging to the family of former civil servant and poet, Henry Barlow (RIP), after he (Kabaale) reportedly gave Police false information about the land.

The land in question is in Budo.

Following his arrest, Kabaale was arraigned before Mpigi Court for falsely informing the Police that he was the owner of the land whereas not.

“He has been the caretaker of the Henry Barlow family land at Budo. He leased it without their consent. This ended his caretaker role. Purporting to be the owner of land, he reported owners as trespassers,” said a statement from the anti-corruption unit led by Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke.

According to SHACU, the investigation was prompted by a complaint from the family members to the unit after Kabaale, with the help of a government official, was reportedly trying to grab the Barlow family land.

It was later discovered that Kabaale had given the Police false information that the land belonged to him. He was charged and remanded to Kitalya prison on Thursday (February 17).

Similarly, the unit together with Police also arraigned four suspects before Mukono court on charges of fraudulent procurement of a land title belonging to the family of the late Sarah Mulira.

Hakim Bigomba, Kenneth Nsubuga Sebagayunga, Shamim Zahura and Musa Lukungu appeared before the court on charges of fraudulent procurement of registration of a certificate of title, forgery, uttering a false document and conspiracy to commit a felony.

They were arrested for allegedly procuring a certificate of title and forging documents for purchase of a 28-acre piece of land in Mukono. 

The suspects and others still at large allegedly committed the offence on August 11, 2021.