Witness pins Gen Otema over former IGP land
Wilson Erinayo Oryema
KAMPALA- A witness has accused Maj Gen Charles Otema of grabbing his family land.
Mr Peter Ochaya Kidega was appearing before the Commission Investigating land matters in a case where Gen Otema and his brothers Lt Col Patrick Omona and Mr Richard Todwong, are accused of grabbing former Inspector General of Police (IGP), the late Wilson Erinayo Oryema’s land.
Mr Kidega, a peasant farmer and son of the late Peter Ochaya of Opokrom Village in Anak Town Council in Nwoya District, told the land probe that his father sold Gen Otema 300 acres but he grabbed all the 1,000 acres of the family land.
“When my father sold the land, there was a portion of land that was left to us but Gen Otema forcefully chased us from the land and took it all. He even extended into Oryema’s land,” Mr Kidega testified yesterday.
The land in question was given to the late Ochaya by the former IGP.
He told the land probe that he had never tried to challenge Gen Otema over the land because he feared him.
Ms Nancy Oryema, a grand daughter of Oryema, who lives in London, petitioned the land probe chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire accusing Gen Otema and his relatives of occupying her grandfather’s 6,500 acres of land.
The said land is in Pabit West Village, Pabit Parish, Purongo Sub-county in Nwoya District.
Gen Otema, the Commander Reserve Force, has since allegedly grabbed 2,000 acres of Oryema’s land, while Mr Todwong took 380 acres in Tangi where he built his farm. Lt Col Omona was accused of trying to grab part of the remaining 650 acres.
Mr Kidega told the land probe that his father sold Gen Otema 300 acres of land but was only paid Shs3m leaving a balance of Shs8m.
The witness denied claims by the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Mr Todwong, that his father (Ochaya) sold the land to a one Jeffrey Otim, who then sold the land to Todwong. Mr Kidega also denied claims that his father had sold Gen Otema all the land.
The commission is still investigating the allegations.
