State House Anti-Corruption Unit probes Katosi land row

Ms Mariam Natasha, the spokesperson of the  State House Anti-Corruption Unit, told Daily Monitor yesterday that they are investigating various issues on the contested land.

“We are handling the matter. We are investigating the lands officials on how they transferred the title from Tyaba yet there was a court order,” she said.

“The investigation kicked off after we received a formal complaint from Mr Jackson Twinamasiko on March 7, who was complaining about the activities and attacks on his farm by suspected goons yet the case was before court,” Ms Natasha said.

She declined to divulge into details as the case is still before the High Court.

How it started

On November 6, 2019, Mr Twinamasiko reportedly purchased the contested seven acres from Mr Francis Tyaba, who is based in Canada through Ms Joyce Lutaaya, whom he [Tyaba] had entrusted with the powers of attorney at a verbally-agreed price of Shs70 million.

He reportedly made payments on two different intervals; Shs20 million on November 6, 2019 and the remaining balance of Shs50 million on November 20, 2019 as it had been agreed.

Daily Monitor has seen the two fund transfer forms from dfcu Bank account under the name COEF Ltd [Account Number 0123134006], which is owned by Mr Twinamasiko to the alleged beneficiary’s bank account under the name NINO Boutique in Standard Chartered Bank [Account number: 0102086495700].

“Upon the payment of the first instalment, I surveyed the said land, opened boundaries and took possession as we had agreed with Ms Lutaaya. I started farming on the land, grazing cows, goats, planting various tree species and shelters for my employees,” he said.

Mr Twinamasiko was, however, shocked when he found that Mr Tyaba through Ms Lutaaya, had mysteriously returned the money totalling Shs70m to his account on November 21, 2019.

“I called the broker who contacted Ms Lutaaya. In her response she said she is no longer selling the land which angered me and I dragged her to court on November 26, 2019. All the returned money was first held onto my fixed account before being transferred to the account of the High Court.

“On November 27, 2019 under Misc Application number 375 of 2019, I secured an interim order restraining the respondent (Ms Lutaaya), their servants, agents, employees or anybody under their title from selling, alienating, transferring, subdividing or in other way interfering on the land,” he said.

As the case was being heard in High Court, Mr Twinamasiko on June 22, 2021 received a phone call from one of his employees, Mr Alex Akampurira, who had been arrested and detained at Mukono Central Police Station.

“When I arrived there, I was informed that I was a suspect in an offence of criminal trespass instituted against me on June 11 by one Maj Wanyama. I was arrested, and detained briefly only to be released on police bond,” he said.

Maj Wanyama, according to the establishment made by this newspaper, owns 16 acres of this land, which he purchased on April 6, 2019.

In an interview, Maj Wanyama, however, said he owns the entire land.

The two alleged owners placed caveats on the contested land with Maj Wanyama putting it on June 15, 2020 under instrument No MKO-00089377 and Twinamasiko putting it on October 21, under instrument No MKO-00134904.

This newspaper has, however, seen the two copies of alleged purchase agreements by Maj Wanyama; one of the 16 acres on April 6, 2019 and the other of seven acres dated November 21, 2019.

In February, another attack led by a suspected gang who were allegedly sent by Maj Wanyama descended the land, beat up Mr Twinamasiko’s employees and fenced the entire land.

Two different cases [SD REF: 12/14/2023 & SD REF: 12/03/23] have since been reported at Katosi Police station by Mr Twinamasiko.

Maj Wanyama, however, in a telephone interview with this newspaper bashed all the statements made by Mr Twinamasiko, saying they are total lies.

“I am the rightful owner of that land, he is a fraudster. I have documentary evidence pertaining to my ownership on that land. He has a clique of people they work with to grab people’s land,” he said during the phone interview on July 6.

“I bought that entire land at Shs225 million. I have never dealt with that man, whatever he said are lies. All the attacks he says were orchestrated by his people against mine,” he said.

Lutaaya response

When contacted Ms Lutaaya said: “I will not tell you the story you are going to talk to the person concerned, I am sending this number to Olar Kibuli CID then he will tell you the story. Stop calling us, this case is going on. [What are] you are investigating when the guy was already taken [to] court? Go to the lawyer why do you want to get a story from me yet it is the lawyer doing this.”

In an interview with this Newspaper, Ms Fatuma Ndisaba, the Mukono resident district commissioner (RDC), who reportedly held a security meeting on November 17, 2022 over the same matter, yesterday said they are yet to  decide the rightful owner of the disputed land.

During this meeting, the two parties were ordered to leave the land until the matter is settled in court.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Jameson Karemani, the spokesperson of Judiciary, were futile because his known phone number was off by press time.

What they say

Both Mr Jackson Twinamasiko and Maj Mark Wanyama have called upon relevant authorities to intervene.

Mr Twinamasiko said he has lost properties worth more than Shs100 million to attacks.

“At least let the court process be concluded so that we know who the rightful owner is,” he said.

Maj Wanyama accused his rival of bribing a section of Mukono District authorities to ensure that he escapes his punishments.

“I am being protected by God, that man has spoiled my name just because people have a bad mentality towards soldiers, he wants to make the public believe that I am the one in the [wrong] which is not true,” he said.

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