Kampala Land Board boss claims harassment

Kampala Land Board chairperson David Balondemu has written to the Director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), AIGP Tom Magambo, to investigate people he believes are witch hunting him.

In his April 26 complaint, Mr Balondemu accuses three staff from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit of being behind his woes.

The names of the three officials of State House Anti-Corruption Unit, who are also members of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), have been withheld as they haven’t been arraigned before court yet.

Mr Balondemu claims that between October and November last year, he was arrested on separate dates and a pile of charges, including obtaining money by false pretenses, were preferred against him, and he was subsequently remanded to Luzira prison.

“I was initially not part of the said charges, but… [names withheld] opted to amend the charge sheet for reasons I now appreciate were pure witch-hunt and self-aggrandisement,” his complaint reads in part.

“Upon being granted bail, I wrote a complaint to His Excellency the President who in turn called me and I briefed him about my predicament. The President directed a police officer... to investigate my complaint and from my decision to cancel a land title for Owino market (now known as St Balikuddembe Market) that was being run by a group of traders under the name SSLOA…,” he adds.

Mr Balondemu also avers that through his lawyers of Acadia Advocates, he has written to have his properties, including his vehicle, two mobile smartphones, and a computer, which were confiscated to be returned, in vain.

He claims one of the officers has been demanding Shs30m before he can release the said properties to him.

He now wants the director of CID to investigate these officials.

“This is, therefore, to request you (CID boss) to take action against the officers and save many Ugandans who are crying over the said officers’ conduct of extortion,” he states.

When contacted, AIGP Magambo preferred not to comment about the matter, before referring this publication to Mr Fred Enanga, the spokesperson of the police, who was unavailable by press time last evening.

Mr Enanga was unavailable for comment.

Ms Mariam Natasha, the spokesperson of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, said they are aware of the matter but described allegations against their officers as blackmail.

“We are aware of the allegations but we will not accept any blackmail aimed at our officers.  Many people have filed complaints about this matter and we are proceeding with our investigations,” Ms Natasha said in a telephone interview.

Mr Balondemu’s troubles began when he was arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, and arraigned in court over allegedly obtaining of about Shs2.2 billion fraudulently from a foreign national, Mr Hyun Kim, after reportedly committing to sell to him 53 kilogrammes of gold.

He was released on bail only to be rearrested on different charges of forgery.