POLICE | LAND | CONFLICT

HOIMA - Police in Hoima district are investigating a circumstance under which two people were killed at a contested land at Rwobunyinyi village in Buraru sub-county.

The deceased have been identified as Frank Asaba, 40 and Sam Kokonza, 50, a resident of the same area.

Albertine Police spokesperson Julius Hakiiza said Asaba has been working as manager of the land belonging to tycoon Fred Mugamba, while Kakonza has been working as a casual worker on the same land.

Fred Mugamba has been feuding with the residents over land measuring over 800 acres covering over three villages Rwobunyinyi among others. The residents have long been fighting with the tycoon over the ownership of the land.

The fight for the land started in 2018 after the tycoon started the process of opening the Boundary claiming that he has a land title, but the residents insist that the tycoon acquired the title illegally.

Last year, the fight resumed after the tycoon took some workers to start clearing the land, which left several people arrested and others threatened to face arrest.

Hakiiza added that the deceased's luck ran out on Monday afternoon when unknown residents attacked them as they were clearly part of the land. 

The residents hacked the two men and killed them on the spot as other colleagues of the deceased fled as the residents were also baying for their blood.

Hakiiza added that police rushed to the scene, and picked up the bodies, which are being kept at the Police morgue and that no arrests have been made in relation to the crime.

However, Police said they have launched an investigation into the murder and are hunting for all those who were involved in the killing.

Buraru LC3 chairperson Robert Mwanga condemned the killing of the two people saying that the resident should have sought redress from the authorities.

However, he blamed the landlord for such a horrible incident accusing the agents of Mugamba of invading and destroying people’s gardens.

Mwanga said recently, the angry residents attacked and burnt a vehicle of a group of people whom they found moving around their land.

However, when Mugamba was contacted to comment on the matter, he denied the deceased being his workers as claimed.