Tororo Police instructed to expedite probe into assault case over land wrangle

Oct 27, 2020

LAND | 

The commandant of the land protection unit at the Police headquarters, Charles Mutungi, has directed the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Tororo Central Police Station to expedite investigations into a case of assault over a land wrangle in Kisoko sub-county, Tororo district, to its logical conclusion.

The land in question belongs to Gabriel Obbo-Katandi, following a 2015 judgment by Mbale High Court against the West Budama North constituency parliamentary candidate under NRM ticket, Max Ochai, who allegedly wants to grab it using forceful means.

In a letter dated October 15, 2020 under the reference ‘'unlawful interference by Ochai Max over the use of land in Tororo civil suit no HCT-04-CV-CS-004 of 2013, High Court of Uganda at Mbale formerly Kampala land division civil suit no. 612/2022" to Bukedi Regional Police commander, Mutungi said Ochai should be advised to seek civil redress to express his grievances and discontent, other than resorting to what he called criminal acts against Obbo-Katandi, his workers and family.

Mutungi's letter follows the latest incident, which took place on October 8, where four gunmen, two of whom were wearing Police uniform, attacked workers on Obbo-Katandi's land.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen arrived at the land at about 8:00am and started shooting at the workers, to disperse them off the land, before they left on a motorcycle.

Obbo-Katandi said when he went to make a statement over the incident at Kisoko Police Post, the Police denied him permission to make a statement.

He, thereafter, went to Tororo Central Police Station, where he recorded a statement about the attack on his workers.

There have been previous attacks on the workers of Obbo-Katandi on the same land. In March 2016, there was another attack on Obbo-Katandi's workers who were on the land, leading to the grievous harm of his son, Mercilus Opio.

After the attack, Obbo-Katandi's lawyers demanded the arrest and prosecution of the people suspected to have led the attackers - Kigeni Omal and Waniala Masas. It is this assault case that Mutungi wants the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Tororo Central Police Station to investigate to its logical conclusion.

Mutungi's letter stated that it is the mandate of the Police to protect life and property and, in this case, to protect Obbo-Katandi, who is in the rightful possession of the land.

Mutungi said his office received a complaint dated March 5, ref MK/p/13/057 from Mubiru Kasozi and the Company Advocates on behalf of Obbo-Katandi over Ochai's continuous interference with his peaceful use and enjoyment of the land comprising in plot 24 and 25 Kisoko-Morikiswa block 6, from which Obbo-Katandi carved out plot 25 and obtained a title.

‘'It has been brought to our notice, allegedly that Max Ochai has resorted to use of force and threat to disturb the complainant/registered proprietr's use and enjoyment of this land, despite court dismissing the above captioned suit, with costs to the defendant in the decree dated December 1, 2016,'' the letter stated.

Mutungi said in the absence of a court order for vacant possession or otherwise stopping Obbo-Katandi from the use of the land, he (Obbo-Katandi) cannot be evicted or denied to exercise his rights on the land.

Attempts to reach Ochai for comment were futile by press time as his mobile phone number could not be reached.

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