Fraudsters remanded in Gomba land theft
MPIGI. In a significant development this afternoon, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) in collaboration with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) have brought forward four suspects before the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Mpigi.
The individuals have been accused of engaging in fraudulent activities related to land ownership in Gomba District, involving the procurement of a Certificate of Title through deceptive means.
The accused named as Kiweewa Burton Mugagga, Mubiru Joseph alias Yozefu alias Kyakwambala, Kifampa John, and Mayanja John Robert, along with other unidentified accomplices, are alleged to have conspired to unlawfully obtain certificates of title for prime land measuring approximately one square mile in Gomba.
The case involves charges such as Fraudulent Procurement of a Certificate of Title, Providing False Information to Public Officials, Perjury, and Conspiracy to Commit a Misdemeanour.
According to the accusations presented in court, between June 2022 and August 2023, the suspects manipulated information to present Mubiru Joseph alias Yozefu alias Kyakwambala, an elderly peasant, as the rightful heir to the estate of the late Paul Kibi.
This misinformation was used to deceive officials at the Ministry Zonal Offices in Mpigi and secure documents falsely representing ownership of the land. Furthermore, the group is said to have misled the Mpigi High Court by providing false testimony to obtain letters of administration for the estate of the late Paul Kibi.
Additionally, Mr. Kiweewa is alleged to have employed individuals to intimidate occupants of the land, including a notorious gang leader known as Sobbi, who met a fatal end on the contested property last year.
The suspects have been detained until the 1st of October, 2024, while criminal summonses have been issued for other individuals believed to be involved in the illicit scheme but are currently at large. This high-profile case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat fraudulent land transactions and illegal activities in Uganda by the Brig Isoke led unit.
