Court has deferred to June 29, a ruling of a case in which six former land ministry officials are accused of processing and registering mortgages without verification and proof of payment of stamp duty worth sh48m.

The officials include Wakiso district ministry of lands zonal offices’ registrar of titles Nurah Businge, communications officer Andrew Mwanje and Nicholas Wamboga, also the registrar of titles for Wakiso land offices.

Others are records assistant Monica Katushabe and data entry assistants: Japhery Bekalaze and Doreen Mpumwire.

On Thursday, the Anti-Corruption Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Moses Nabende, deferred the case to June 29, because it was not ready.

“The judgement is not ready. Therefore, it will be delivered on June 29,” Nabende said.

The officials are battling nine counts of abuse of office and seven counts of causing financial loss, contrary to sections 11 (1) and 20 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Court Act.

The offence of abuse of office attracts a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment, upon conviction, while causing financial loss elicits a 14-year jail term.

Allegations  

Prosecution alleges that the accused, in 2018 at the lands ministry zonal office in Wakiso district, in abuse of the authority of their offices, did an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interests of their employer, processed and registered mortgages on several pieces of land, without verification and proof of payment of stamp duty of sh48m.

According to prosecution, the accused purportedly committed the act knowing or having reason to believe that such an act would cause financial loss of the said money to their employer. They say the act was in total disregard of the procedure for the registration of mortgages.