84-year-old woman remanded over land dispute released after Monitor story
Ms Kevina Nabaseruka (C) flanked by prison warders as she leaves the Court room shortly after she regained her freedom at Luweero Chief Magistrate's Court in Luweero District on May 29, 2023. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA.psd
What you need to know:
- Under normal circumstances, the State Attorney would be in charge of prosecuting Ms Nabaseruka who had been remanded until June 8 on charges of malicious damage but Ms Abodo was this time before the Luweero Chief Magistrate, Ms Marriam Sserwanga Nalugya where she announced the withdrawal of the charges against the elderly woman.
An 84-year-old woman who was last week remanded to prison over a land dispute in Luweero District has been released following the intervention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Jane Frances Abodo after this publication on Saturday published a story about her arrest.
Ms Abodo on Monday (May 29) drove to Luweero Chief Magistrate’s Court where the elderly Kevina Nabaseruka appeared on a production warrant and discontinued her prosecution.
Under normal circumstances, the State Attorney would be in charge of prosecuting Ms Nabaseruka who had been remanded until June 8 on charges of malicious damage but Ms Abodo was this time before the Luweero Chief Magistrate, Ms Marriam Sserwanga Nalugya where she announced the withdrawal of the charges against the elderly woman.
“We asked for a production warrant to have the proceedings against the accused (Kevina Nabaseruka) discontinued,” the DPP said.
The magistrate dismissed the case after the DPP tendered in court the case withdrawal form.
“The DPP has withdrawn the charges against the suspect. The case is dismissed and the file is closed. The accused is released immediately,” the magistrate said.
Ms Nabaseruka and another relative who was remanded alongside her walked out of court free.
The two were arrested last week and remanded to Butuntumula government prison on May 24 after failing to present sureties on charges of trespass and malicious damage to property on a piece of land Nabaseruka says she has lived on since her childhood.
About the case;
Shortly after this publication on Saturday reported Nabaseruka’s story, several stakeholders got concerned.
Nabaseruka alleges that a family member connived with a land buyer to dispossess her of the 15-acre piece of land she inherited from her father, Peter Ntabwete in 2017. The new landlord destroyed her house and evicted her.
The LCI chairperson for Kyakatula village in Kikyusa Sub County, Mr Dissan Kibirabira in a brief interview with this publication on Monday said he tried to convince the new landlord to consider the plight of the elderly woman by curving out at least four acres of land for her after claiming that he bought the land from somebody who had a land title but all was in vain.
“It’s surprising that even at the time of her arrest, my office was not informed. It is a big shame that leaders are never consulted on matters that need clarification by the LCI Chairperson,” he said.
Meanwhile, Luweero RDC, Mr Richard Bwabye has tasked the police to explain circumstances which Ms Nabaseruka was arrested and to produce the complainant.
