According to Bakunda, he recently filed a civil suit in Luwero Magistrate’s court to restrain Lubega’s family from trespassing on his land and maliciously damaging his property.
Police are
holding four suspects in connection to a violent land wrangle involving ten
families in Tebalyala village in Luwero Sub County in Luwero district. The land
row involves the children of Karim Lubega and Wilson Bakunda, all residents of Tebalyala village.
The members
of the two families are feuding over a 10-acre piece of land that was sold by Enock
Sempa. On Thursday, Lubega’s children including Rashid Muwonge, Shafik
Kakokowe Yiga and Umar Matovu among others attacked Bakunda’s herdsmen with machetes
forcing them to flee for dear life.
They hacked
six cows valued at Shillings 18 million leaving them in critical condition with
multiple wounds. They also stopped Muslims on the disputed piece from attending
prayers at their local mosque. The children
want Bakunda and others to leave the land, saying they illegally acquired it.
Bakunda
told URN that he bought the ten acres of land in 2007 and the former landlord
Enock Ssempa transferred the land titles to him in 2011. He, however,
says Lubega’s children have repeatedly threatened to attack him, saying the
land belongs to them.
According to Bakunda, he recently filed a civil suit in Luwero
Magistrate’s court to restrain Lubega’s family from trespassing on his land and
maliciously damaging his property.
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Cranmer Nsobya, the LC 1 Chairperson Tebalyala village explained that before
Bakunda bought the land from Ssempa, Lubega’s family petitioned Kampala High
court contesting the ownership of the disputed land and lost the suit.
He says since then the family members have
resorted to violence to evict Bakunda and seven other families that separately
bought land from Ssempa.
Luganda
Audio
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Seven other families that bought land from Ssempa have also suffered attacks
from Lubega’s family members. Michael Kijula, one of the area residents, says the
wrangle may culminate in bloodshed should the police fail to apprehend and charge
the suspects.
Officers
from Luwero Central Police Station visited the disputed piece of land on Thursday
afternoon and recorded statements from affected residents. They opened
inquiries vide police file number 37/28/10/2020.
Abraham Tukundane, the Luwero
District Police Commander, says Police has embarked on investigating the
complaints and so far picked up four suspects. He identifies
the suspects as Ali Bukenya, Shafik Kakokowe Yiga, Umar Matovu and Kakokowe
Sharif.
He says the suspects have been charged with assaults and injuring
animals.
