Three charged over president's land

Jul 09, 2020

The three, while at the lands ministry in Kampala, allegedly willfully made false statements purporting to own customary interests in land located at Katwe-Kambwa in Kabulasoke subcounty, Gomba district, on Block 369, Plot 5. The three pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Three people, including a lands ministry official, have been charged in connection with stealing land belonging to President Yoweri Museveni in Gomba district.

The three were charged on Monday before Mpigi Grade One Magistrate Maureen Mukoya who immediately remanded them.

Peter Ssegane, 42, a businessman and resident of Jjokolera, Kawanda in Wakiso district; Jimmy Ssuuna, 48, a farmer and resident of Kifampa village, Maddu sub-county in Gomba district and Kennedy Avora, 35, a cartographer in the lands ministry.

They were charged with seven counts of conspiracy to defraud and fraudulent procurement of titles.

The suspects were taken to the Mpigi court in the late afternoon on Monday in a Police patrol van, amidst tight security. During the court proceedings, Ssuuna claimed he was not of sound mind.

‘Unsound mind'

"I am of unsound mind. I have been admitted at Butabika Hospital for the last many days. I kindly ask the court not to read me more charges," he said.

The magistrate directed the prison warders present to take Ssuuna for medical examination to ascertain whether he is of sound mind.

According to the charge sheet, Ssegane, Ssuuna and Avora, in December 2014, conspired and fraudulently procured certificates of titles and conspired to defraud land.

The three, while at the lands ministry in Kampala, allegedly willfully made false statements purporting to own customary interests in land located at Katwe-Kambwa in Kabulasoke subcounty, Gomba district, on Block 369, Plot 5. The three pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The state attorney, Ruth Kabahuma, said investigations into the matter are still ongoing and asked the court for more time. The magistrate sent the accused to remand at Ssentema Prison until July 28, when they will reappear in court for mention of their case.

The suspects were arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), following investigations into encroaching on land belonging to President Museveni. The land is part of the President's farm in Kisozi.

The head of the SHACU, Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema, said her unit was also investigating other senior officials in the land ministry who she said connived with the two suspects to create and acquire titles in their names on already existing titles.

Several lands ministry officials, including those who signed on the fraudulently created titles, have recorded statements over the matter.

Museveni applied for a leasehold on public land (formerly Crown land), which is under the control of the Uganda Land Commission. 

LEASEHOLD

Dorcas Okalany, the lands ministry permanent secretary, said a 44-year leasehold title was issued to the President.

He says in 2014, Sseggane and Ssuuna approached Kabulasoke Area Land Committee and showed them a deed plan, which she said is alleged to have been signed by the then commissioner of surveys and mapping, Modhfer Kajumbula Nsubuga, for allocation of land.

In 2020, when the original proprietor of the land (Museveni) wanted to further develop his land, he found out that his land had three overlapping titles on Block 369, plots 7, 8 and 9.

According to the lands ministry, the ‘freehold land titles Block 369, plots 7, 8 and 9 were issued erroneously because they are on land already owned by Museveni under leasehold.

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