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Mutungo land deal is dubious - AG
The Auditor General, Mr John Francis Muwanga gestures while appearing before the land probe on March 6, 2019 where he was questioned about the matter concerning the payment of Sh26 billion to Dr Muhammed Kasasa on the Mutungo Hill land. PHOTO RACHEL MABALA
Kampala. The Auditor General, Mr John Muwanga, has revealed that he requested the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to prosecute suspects in a bogus purchase agreement of 12 acres of land in Mutungo, a city suburb, and recover monies paid out.
Mr Muwanga told the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters yesterday that he first learnt of the Mutungo land dispute in 2006 while auditing books of the ministry of Lands.
“Two plots had been purchased at Shs1.2b but one plot had no details. The payment had been done without a valuation report to know what government was paying for and there was no proof of ownership,” he said.
Mr Muwanga said in 2011, he received information from a whistleblower and referred the matter to the IGG to investigate and prosecute people who had committed government to such a bogus deal.
Mr Muwanga said to-date, he has not received a valuation report, proof of ownership of the land and even a report from the IGG.
Prince David Wasajja, the youngest son of Sir Edward Muteesa II, accused Dr Muhammad Buwule Kasasa of illegally acquiring his father’s estate. Dr Kasasa later sold the land to government but he has not been fully paid.
Mr Muwanga said while auditing the financial accounts of the Lands ministry in 2007, he found that an additional Shs186m had been paid to the same land owner. He said he discovered that the money had been paid for the land yet government did not have titles in its names and there were caveats on the land.
Under the terms of the purchase agreement, government, without an input from the Solicitor General, committed to pay Dr Kasasa Shs2.4b in 60 days and 19 per cent interest on late payments.
Mr Gilbert Kermundu, the chief government valuer, also said when the transaction was brought to his attention, he substituted the property’s commercial value with a fixed deposit rate.
According to him, government would then have to pay Shs7.2b instead of Shs24.6b but that his rate was rejected by Dr Kasasa.
IGG spokesperson Munira Ali could not be reached to explain whether they investigated the matter. She had not replied our text messages to her by press time.
