Presidential assistant charged with abuse of office over land fraud

A special presidential assistant for underprivileged youth, Resty Kiguli Nakayenga has been arraigned in court and charged with abuse of office.
Nakayenga, 68, a resident of Kyaliwajala -Namugongo, Kiira Municipality in Wakiso District, appeared before the Kololo based Anti-Corruption Court and denied the accusations. She is jointly charged with 32-year-old James Batenda, a resident of Kungu-Lutale in Kyengera Town Council, who did not appear in court.
Ms Sarah Namusobya, the Chief Magistrate granted bail to Nakayenga citing her ill-health and advanced age but ordered her to deposit Shs6 million in cash and land title in court.
The Court also bonded each of Nakayenga’s sureties at Shs100 million, not cash. The court also issued criminal summons against Batenda to appear on November 17.
The prosecution alleges that in 2018 at the President’s office located at Embassy House in Kampala District, Nakayenga being employed by the President as a special presidential assistant for the underprivileged youth, in abuse of the authority of her office did an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interest of her employer and fraudulently assisted Batenda to acquire the title for land at Nakonge Busiro measuring 3.087 hectares (about 7 acres).
The state alleges that in the same year at Wakiso District land Office, Batenda fraudulently procured a certificate of title for a disputed land at Nakawuka Village.  According to the charge sheet, at different places in Kampala and Wakiso districts, Nakayenga and Batenda conspired together to defraud Charles Kiku of his land at Busiro.  
It is also alleged that Nakayenga used her office as a presidential advisor to influence the Wakiso lands office to process a seven-acre land title at Nakawuka in Wakiso for James Batenda who had only one acre. 
Court documents show that the complainants had gone to different offices but they were not assisted which compelled them to report to the Anti-Corruption Unit led by Colonel Edith Nakalema which intervened in the matter.
The said land has since been returned to its rightful owners. Detectives at the State House Unit said their investigations had revealed that Nakayenga has been part of the land fraud in different parts of Buganda mainly in Wakiso District.