UGANDA, Hoima | Real Muloodi News | A 55-year-old Hoima widow, Kristine Harriet Kobwemi, is engaged in a legal battle over a two-acre plot of land in Isaka cell, Kijungu, Hoima City.
The dispute involves a 78-year-old caretaker, Francis Baranga, who alleges he is entitled to the property after the death of Kobwemi’s husband, Edward Rwahwire, a police officer who passed away in 2021.
Kobwemi, the widow, filed a case against Baranga in the Hoima Magistrate’s Court, accusing him of attempting to take over the entire property.
The land had been under Baranga’s care while Rwahwire was still alive. Following Rwahwire’s death and burial in Kakiri, Wakiso District, the ownership of the property became contested.
Baranga, who has declined to comment directly on the matter, previously recorded a statement at the Hoima Central Police Station in 2022.
In the statement, he alleged that he assumed ownership of the land because his late employer, Rwahwire, had not introduced him to any family members who could claim the property.
Baranga’s lawyer has advised him against making public statements while the case is ongoing. However, the court documents and his police statement reveal his claim to the land as compensation for years of service as a caretaker.
Wilberforce Musinguzi, the LC1 chairperson of the Isaka cell, expressed concern about the situation. He suggested that Baranga should have sought a small portion of the land to settle on instead of allegedly taking over the entire property.
“It would have been better if Baranga had requested a portion of the land for himself rather than claiming the whole property,” Musinguzi said.
Residents have also voiced their opinions, with some supporting Kobwemi’s right to reclaim her late husband’s land and others sympathizing with Baranga due to his advanced age and long-term association with the property.
The Hoima Magistrate’s Court is expected to hear the case, with both parties presenting evidence to support their claims. Kobwemi’s legal team argues that the land is her rightful inheritance as Rwahwire’s widow. They have also highlighted Baranga’s alleged overreach in attempting to take control of the entire property.
Meanwhile, Baranga’s defence is anticipated to focus on his role as a long-serving caretaker and his belief that he was entitled to the land without formal family introductions by the late Rwahwire.
The disputed two-acre plot in Isaka cell has been under scrutiny since Rwahwire’s death. The property’s future remains uncertain as the court deliberates on the matter.
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