Elizabeth Nakafero, 78, says that she sold all her goats to secure police bond at Shillings 500,000 and forked out another Shillings 300,000 to rescue her daughter from detention for alleged criminal trespass on their family land.
More than 5000 people in Nakasongola district have petitioned the Professional Standards Unit-PSU to investigate officers attached to the Lands Protection Police Unit for their alleged involvement in malicious prosecutions and extortion.
The affected residents are from Kansira, Soweto and Podya village in Lwabyata Sub County in Nakasongola. Trouble for the officers stems from the land dispute pitying the petitioners and Livingstone Butagambe over one square mile of land.
Abdul Karim Bukenya, one of the petitioners, says the disputed land belonged to his grandparents who occupied in the 1930s. He however, says they were surprised in 2017 when Butagambe showed up with a land title that he allegedly acquired from Harriet Bukirwa and Richard Nyanzi.
He explains that in 2018, Butagambe ordered them to vacate the land without giving them chance to pay off for the land or compensation. According to Bukenya, recently Butagambe fenced off their pieces of land and community dam drawing protests from residents.
He however, says Butagambe connived with officers from the Land Police Protection unit in Nakasongola district led by Hakim Mugoya to arrest them on charges of criminal trespass yet they have occupied the disputed land for decades.
Bukenya claims that whoever was picked up paid Shillings 500,000 to secure police bond and another Shillings 500,000 when they report back.
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The petitioners claim that so far 12 residents have been locked on trumped up charges forcing their families to pay for their police bond. Some of those who claim to have paid bond are Alex Ssekayingo, Ibrahim Mirembe, Richard Musalwa, Fred Nsigoma, Florence Nantalo and Bashari Oja among others.
Elizabeth Nakafero, 78, says that she sold all her goats to secure police bond at Shillings 500,000 and forked out another Shillings 300,000 to rescue her daughter from detention for alleged criminal trespass on their family land.
Florence Nantalo, another resident also says she paid Shillings 500,000 to secure police bond and is expected to report back to Police with Shillings 600,000 or else be locked up.
Alfred Nsubuga, another affected resident, says he has since sold four out of seven head of cattle to battle the land case and look after his children.
Nsubuga says since Butagambe fenced of their land, they have nowhere to graze their cattle and grow crops, which has plunged them into poverty as well as food insecurity.
According to Nsubuga, they have petitioned their local leaders and Resident District Commissioner, Dan Muganga to save them from the illegal arrests and block their evictions in vain.
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Now, the affected residents have petitioned the Professional Standards Unit in Luweero to investigate the officers for alleged extortion and malicious prosecutions with aim of forcing them off their land.
They have also asked the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire Land Commission to investigate the land wrangle. Hakim Mugoya, the Commandant of the Land Police Protection Unit in Nakasongola and Livingstone Butagambe were unavailable for comment on Wednesday.
Dan Muganga, the Nakasongola Resident District Commissioner, says he advised Butagambe to utilize the unoccupied piece of land.
Muganga has also warned police officers against arresting residents and promised to follow up the matter. John Byarugaba, the Commander of the Professional Standards Unit, says they have already started investigating the implicated officer under PSU/LWR/GEF/43/2018.
Last week, President Yoweri Museveni warned landlords against evicting tenants while passing out recruits at Kaweweta Army Training school,
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Museveni has repeatedly warned the landlords against evictions and arrest of tenants in vain.
