Businessman detained over demolition of Ntinda house

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested and detained a city real estate businessman at the Central Police Station to help with investigations into the Christmas Holiday demolition of a family home in Ntinda.

Mr Luke Oweyisigirye, the Kampala Metropolitan deputy police commander, said the anti-corruption unit arrested Semakula Sulait, the proprietor of Sema Property Consultants, on Friday to explain how he bought the property, which had three pre-existing owners and sold it to a buyer who died.

The same property was later sold to Semakula Yusuf, who claims to be the owner.

“The only suspect we have so far is Semakula Sulait and Kira Road Police has also taken his statement. He was not given police bond, he is still in our custody because he is the one who bought the land, sold it to another person yet there were three owners of the property before him,” Mr Oweyisigirye said yesterday.

Asked whether they managed to trace the tractors that demolished the Old Kira Road house as the family members enjoyed the Christmas Holiday in the village, he said Kira Road police impounded a grader linked to the demolition.

Mr Natasha Mariam, the Public Relations Officer for the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, said she did not have sufficient information.

“There is a direct linkage between him, the people who sold it and Kira Road Police impounded the [suspected] grader, used to demolish the house,” she said.

Background

According to the family sources at the demolished property, when their father Johnson Orech died in 1995, he Willed the property to be under the administration of the widow—Lucy Mary Orech. Ms Evelyne Atim said their mother didn’t transfer the ownership of the property into her name.

She added that the property was left under the management of her sister, Stella Aber, who surprisingly transferred the property into her name multiple times. “On July 4, 2008 at 2:28pm, the name of the title was transferred from our late father’s name to our mother’s name. She was not in the country. A minute later (2:29pm), the same title was transferred into the name of Stella Aber,” Ms Atim said. On October 21, 2008, the land title was again transferred into the name of another person. This prompted the widow to seek legal redress and also put a caveat on the property. She, however, lost the case in court in 2018.

Mr Mutwalib Kabogoza was deemed to be the rightful owner of the property. Ms Orech appealed the decision, and the case is still being heard. Despite the running court case, they were again surprised to learn that on November 22, 2022, the same land title was transferred into other names despite the caveat.