Government officials robbed me of Shs2.4b, man tells land probe

Kampala. The man, who allegedly bought Sir Edward Mutesa II’s land, left Justice Catherine Bamugemereire dumbfounded after he revealed how a clique of government officials known to him used his name to sneak Shs2.4b from the Treasury and later took all the money.
Dr Muhammad Buwule Kasasa told the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters in Kampala yesterday that he received the money for his disputed Mutungo land on paper but ‘certain people’ he declined to name for fear of his life took all the money.
Dr Kasasa, 87, told Justice Bamugemereire’s team that the money was for 12 plots of land he sold to government in 2002 to build the headquarters of the External Security Organisation (ESO).
“They took me to a bank next to Parliament. They opened an account in my names, deposited the cheque and made me sign for the money and they took all of it. For example, when Shs186m came, I begged them to give me at least Shs6m to send to my son in London but they refused,” he narrated, adding that he was told he would receive the next release but still he got no money.
Prince David Kintu Wasajja, the youngest son to Muteesa II, dragged Dr Kasasa to the Commission, accusing him of stealing his father’s 639 acres. The prince also accused the late Benedict Kiwanuka and others of grabbing Mutesa’s land.

Concealed identifies
When Mr Ebert Byenkya, the Commission lead counsel, pressed Dr Kasasa to reveal the identities of the government officials who pocketed public funds in a disputed land deal, he begged for the indulgence of the commission for fear that his word might get to the suspects and they harm him.
Dr Kasasa told the Commission that he was shocked to learn that the same people who took his first payment of Shs2.4 billion were again pursuing another Shs7b in accrued interest from late payment.
Responding to accusations by Prince Wasajja, Dr Kasasa told the land probe that there was no sale agreement between him and Kiwanuka’ s Lake View Properties that allegedly sold him the disputed 639 acres now claimed by Mutesa’s family.
He also explained that he bought 60 land titles with the help of the late Nsubuga Nsambu at Shs1m. The commission tasked him to provide the commission with copies of the titles. The Commission is still investigating the matter.