UGANDA, Mukono | Real Muloodi News | In a significant development, Mukono Police has finally taken steps to enforce a court order related to a contentious land dispute at Mbeya Island in Mpunge Sub County, Mukono District.
The seven-acre plot at the centre of the controversy was purchased by Mukono businessman Jackson Twinamasiko from Francis Tyaba through Joyce Lutaaya, who held powers of attorney for Tyaba residing in the USA.
The legal battle ensued when Lutaaya, having initially agreed to the sale, purportedly changed her mind.
Twinamasiko initiated legal action against Tyaba and Lutaaya on November 26, 2019, following the contested land deal.
He secured an interim court order preventing any sale, alienation, transfer, subdivision, or interference with the land until the final determination of the main suit.
Despite this court order, Lutaaya reportedly sold the same seven acres to Major Mark Wanyama on December 19, 2019.
Wanyama then applied for a land title in January 2020, which was subsequently cancelled by the lands office in Mukono under court orders.
However, the Mukono Police Division Commander, Edirisa Kyeyune, initially refused to implement the court order, questioning its authenticity. This led Twinamasiko, through his legal representatives, Leadman Advocates, to petition various offices seeking the order’s implementation.
The Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) cleared the injunction on October 21, 2022, instructing Mukono Division to enforce the court order.
The district security committee, led by the Resident District Commissioner Fatumah Ndisaba, also supported the implementation.
Despite these directives, the police commander’s reluctance persisted. In response, the IGP’s office issued a reminder on November 25, 2022, reiterating the authenticity and scope of the injunction, specifying that it applied only to the disputed seven acres of land.
The Mukono Police sought confirmation from the Mukono High Court regarding the order’s authenticity, and Assistant Registrar Umar Nasif Mubiru confirmed its legitimacy on December 22, 2023.
Finally, on the instructions of DPC Edirisa Kyeyune, Mukono Division Crime Investigations Officer Ali Katende, accompanied by Katosi Police Station Officer in Charge Peter Muhiire, implemented the court injunction.
The reading of the injunction took place in the absence of Lutaaya but in the presence of residents and leaders.
Eldad Bashaija, the LCI chairperson, expressed optimism that this enforcement would restore order to the area. The prolonged legal battle had earlier led to the arrest of Twinamasiko in October, charged with trespassing on the disputed land.
However, the Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court dismissed the charges filed by Major Wanyama, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing Mbeya land saga.
The recent enforcement of the court order marks a crucial step in resolving the protracted land dispute and upholding the rule of law in the Mbeya region.
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