Eleven remanded for grabbing Madhvani land in Gomba
An acting commissioner surveys and mapping under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Jasper Kakooza left together with his co-accused in the dock at the Anti-Corruption Court. Photo | Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- The prosecution alleges that the accused individuals made false statements to procure registration of land titles
Eleven individuals, including an acting commissioner in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Jasper Kakooza, have been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison over allegations of tampering with land belonging to Madhvani Group Limited in Gomba District.
The accused persons were arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe.
Kakooza, 57, alongside 10 others, faces charges ranging from abuse of office, forgery, and fraudulent procurement of certificates of title to forcible entry and conspiracy to commit a felony. The charges stem from alleged malpractices committed between 2013 and 2017.
The accused persons include: Nicodemus Sitenda Magulu, physical planner, Hakim Bassajjangabo, senior assistant secretary, Andrew Ssiwuliliza Sserunkuma, chairman LC1 Mpogo village, Gladys Nakanwagi, labour officer and former secretary, Hajji Badru Ismail Kayongo, former chairman Gomba district land board, Allan Katakanya Nuwahereza, businessman, George Mudenyi, security guard, Abudu Senoga, causal laborer, David Nabimanya, security supervisor, and Harunah Kisenyi, boda boda rider.
According to the prosecution, Kakooza allegedly abused his office by authoring and signing a letter representing that the land in question, Grant No. 8286, was a lease that had expired in 2008 and reverted to government, when in fact it was a freehold registered under FRV 60 Folio 4 Gomba belonging to Madhvani Group Limited.
Another accused, Nicodemus Sitenda, a physical planner, is alleged to have irregularly plotted Plots 32, 33, 34, 36, and 37 at Musongole, Gomba District, overlapping with existing land belonging to Madhvani Group Limited. Sitenda is also accused of forgery, allegedly forging an application for conversion from customary to freehold tenure to procure the registration of a freehold certificate of title for Block (Road) 311, Plots 32 and 34 land at Mpogo.
The prosecution alleges that the accused individuals made false statements to procure registration of land titles, forged documents, and used their offices to facilitate the alleged fraud. The accused persons denied all charges.
The court also issued a warrant of arrest for two suspects still at large: Vincent Mugenyi, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, and Fred Kirenga, a businessman.
"In respect of accused three (Kirenga) and accused eight (Mugenyi) a warrant of arrest is issued. We are not going to entertain any bail application today it is late. You have the right to apply for bail even those who do not have lawyers today," Ms Asiimwe said.
The case has been adjourned to April 30 for the hearing of their bail application. The prosecution informed the court that investigations in the matter have been delayed pending the arrest of the two suspects who are on the run after jumping the police bond with their whereabouts unknown.
