UGANDA, Wakiso | Real Muloodi News | Former senior army officer Maj Jimmy Katende has refuted claims of unlawfully taking over the house of his late driver, Ibrahim Kumali, following Kumali’s passing.
The dispute emerged earlier in March when Kumali’s family accused Maj Katende of forcibly evicting them from their residence in Busega, Wakiso District.
These allegations were promptly denied by the ex-serviceman, with his son Rashid Katende addressing the matter on Monday, March 24, 2024.
According to Rashid Katende, the house in question originally belonged to his father, who, out of goodwill, had entrusted it to Kumali for care.
However, when Maj Katende needed the property back, Kumali’s family refused to vacate.
“The late Kumali resided in that house for an extended period without paying rent until 2013 when Maj Katende formally withdrew the caretaking arrangement and requested him to leave,” Rashid Katende explained.
Documents reviewed by this publication indicate that Maj Katende had initiated correspondence with Kumali regarding his departure from the property even before Kumali’s demise in 2017.
Following Kumali’s death, his first wife, Barbra Wabomba, vacated the house, making way for the arrival of his second wife, Sylvia Namee.
The property dispute subsequently escalated into a legal battle spanning over six years, with the court ultimately ruling in Maj Katende’s favour, ordering Namee to vacate the premises approximately two weeks ago.
“We emerged victorious in all legal proceedings. Kumali’s family was directed by the court to compensate us for the time wasted, but out of respect for our late friend, we offered them transportation assistance to peacefully vacate the house,” Rashid Katende stated.
He attributed the resistance to vacate primarily to Namee, alleging that she had resided in the house for nearly 18 years.
Rashid Katende further recounted attempts made by his father to resolve the matter amicably, including a meeting facilitated by the Wakiso Resident City Commissioner (RCC) in 2018, during which Shs1 million was offered to the family as relocation assistance.
“After the family declined to vacate the property peacefully, we had no choice but to seek an eviction order through legal channels. The process was conducted without any property damage, as it proceeded smoothly,” he clarified.
In a recent interview, Namee disputed the allegations, asserting that she had reached out to the Wakiso RCC office to halt her eviction.
She claimed that Kumali had obtained the disputed land from Maj Katende during his tenure as the soldier’s driver.
However, Rashid Katende dismissed Namee’s assertions as “falsehoods,” emphasizing that Kumali had not been his father’s driver but merely a friend.
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