IMPUNITY: UPDF Officer Grabs Late Bishop Shalitas’ Land, Drags State House In Tittles Scam

By  PATRICK JARAMOGI

 KIRIHURA, Uganda [SHIFTMEDIA] Serious land related crimes happening at the backdrop of the fountain of Honor’s rural home in Kiruhura district is causing ripples.

Our team of investigators have been following this land grabbing scheme by senior serving UPDF officers.

Public hearing regarding the same subject matter chaired by the Commissioner Land Registration, in the offices of the Ministry of Lands on Parliament Avenue that was held on December 12 2022, attended by our reporters reveals glaring land issues rocking our country.

The heated meeting that was shunned by the suspected land grabbers, (family of the late Christopher Kajundira) was attended among others by three Registrars of  Titles.

Two lawyers from unspecified firms represented the belligerent Kajundira family, while the family of the Late Bishop Shalita, who are battling to recover their land were represented by two lawyers from Akampurira and Co. Advocates.

A dozen of the members of the Bishop Kosiya Shalita’s family and relatives filled the Ministry of Lands Board Room.

The public hearing had been called by an advert placed in the Daily Monitor of November 12 2022, which had outlined the necessity for the two parties to attend and present their evidence.

The family of Bishop Kosiya Shalita, responded to the summons and were in attendance. Through their lawyers, the late Bishop Kosiya Shalita’s family and relatives presented overwhelming evidence to prove illegalities committed by the Kajundiras and their accomplices.

The movie-like petition cast light on the scientifically proven expert report proving imposition of Kajundira’s survey work and four titles in Sept. 2022, on an old survey and leasehold of 2003, with 49 year lease to Bishop Shalita’s family. Apparently, Bishop Shalita family was granted a 49 years lease, with initial five years running from 2005. The expert Report concludes that four new titles issued in favour of the Kajundiras in September 2022 overlap on the already existing Plot 12 granted in 2003 to Bishop Shalita’s family and relatives. In other words, the 4 titles were illegally  created on land already surveyed and owned by the Bishop Shalita family.

Those summoned from the Late Christopher Kajundira’s side but didn’t appear included: Kyamukuku Magret, Mutungi Charles, Atushumbusire Phiona, Maj. Muhoozi Kajundira Godfrey, Ninsiima Alex, Kirabo Alice, Katuru Charles, Mbihingirwe Benon, Mugarura Henry, Arinaitwe  Bernard, and Ampurire Ezra..

Numerous Lost Court Cases

A 1997 court order that we have in our possession indicated that the Kajundira family were condemned by the High Court for trespass and evicted from Bishop Kosiya Shalita’s land at Ekimomo,  and for 23 years the Bishop Kosiya Shalita’s family lived in peace until March 23 2022, when a one  Major Godfrey Muhoozi Kajundira (son to the late Christopher Kajundira) a serving UPDF officer (then Commanding Officer 51 Battalion) and other family members violently commandeered a team of goons armed with machetes, spears and attacked the Family of Bishop Kosiya Shalita, hacked and maimed many of them throwing the rest into disarray before grabbing their land.

According to military Reports seen by our Reporters, Major Muhoozi is implicated and  was investigated and found culpable for committing heinous crimes against the family and relatives of the late Bishop Shalita.

Major Muhooozi has however not been charged in any court for the crimes he committed.

State House officials implicated

Our investigations unearthed the syndicate of some members of State House, who are either sympathizers or beneficiaries of the land grabbing who are alleged to have been pressurizing the Ministry of Lands to honor the acquired 4 illegal titles and survey by the Kajundiras, imposed on an existing survey of plot 12 belonging of Bishop Kosiya Shalita’s.

State House in an official communication signed by a one Sandra Ndyomugenyi dated 7^th April 2022, addressed to the Rwizi Regional Police Commander (above) regarding the matter advised that the Kajundira family should be evicted as they had lost the court cases when the High Court confirmed that the land belongs to Bishop Shalita. Investigations however reveal that State House officials have been pressuring the Ministry of Lands to validate the titles that were illegally issued in favour of the Kajundiras, after the Court judgments describe them as trespassers and had evicted them..

An official who attended the Public hearing confessed to our reporter about cases of intimidation and harassment by people suspected to be close to State House (“invisible hand”). Our reporters have discovered that several other big personalities with close relations to State House are implicated in the land grabbing saga. Our frantic efforts to get comments from these purported “Invisible Hands” last night were futile.

Impunity

According to numerous court orders in our possession, there is evidence of systemic impunity by civil servants who have blatantly ignored and or disobeyed court orders giving rise to crime by the Kajundiras.

Several Government servants were found liable by court in September, 2022 for contempt of court orders, such as the former DPC, Kiruhura now transferred to Kajansi and the Deputy RDC Kiruhura. Court ordered them to cough hefty sums of money (UGX 108 Million)  as costs for their role in the impudence against state and court orders. In the same case, Major Muhoozi Kajundira and his brother Charles Mutungi were also found by the High Court in September 2022, to be in contempt of court orders and were fined UGX 10 million each and they and their family members were ordered to vacate the land immediately. They however continue to defy the court orders and have instead created the four illegal titles.

 

Attorney General Weighs In

The Attorney General in his letter dated August 5 2022 (that we obtained) addressed to the Inspector General of Police gave stern warning to individuals who disobey court orders.

“This suit ended up in the Chief Magistrates Court as Civil Appeal No 76 of 1990. On 14^th July 1994, the  Chief Magistrate P.K Onega (as he then was) held that the land belonged to the Late Bishop Shalita, that Kajundira was a trespasser and ordered for his eviction from the land at Omukyeera village,” wrote Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka.

He went further: “The considered opinion of this office is that the issue of ownership was determined by court in High Court Civil Misc. Appeal No.2 of 1996 Christopher Kajundira vs. Bishop Shalita that the Late Bishop Shalita is the rightful owner of the suit land.”

The AG ruled that the effect of the judgment is that police officers are not supported by law. “They (Police officers) are clearly on the frolic of their own and their actions are not sanctioned by government.”

Kiryowa Kiwanuka described as unfortunate the way Government of Uganda is being exposed to liability under proceedings for contempt of court orders in a matter where the issue of land ownership in respect to the dispute land was resolved in Court.

Kiruhura Land Board on Spot

A lawyer representing the Shalita family and relatives noted that the Kiruhura Land Board which presided over the illegal survey and misdirected the registrar into issuing illegal titles are on line, “they will soon face criminal charges for their abuse of office,” warned the counsel.

The Public Hearing resolved that the final judgement will be concluded on January 9 2023. The Registrar of Titles warned the lawyers who were representing the family of the late Christopher Kajundira to take the issues raised seriously and file their defense by December 27 2022 and the final decision is slated for January 9