Police Arrests Landlord for Forcefully Evicting Tenant

The Police in Nakaseke District has arrested a landlord for demolishing a house belonging to a tenant. 

Retired Captain Sula Serunjogi a former Resident District Commissioner and National Resistance Movement Mobiliser was arrested on Monday from his home in Semuto town.

He was arrested following a directive by the State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja after receiving complaints that Serunjogi demolished a house belonging to Stephen Mugambwa a resident of Kimegeredde cell in Semuto town council to force him to leave a disputed piece of land.

Mugambwa aged 66 years settled on the piece of land measuring 6.74 acres in 1974 which he inherited from his father Colombani Mukasa.   He has since established banana, coffee plantations and constructed permanent houses among other developments.

But Serunjogi claims that he bought the land in 2018 and allegedly acquired a court order from Luwero Magistrate Court in 2021 to evict Mugambwa.

It is alleged that on December 14, 2021, Serunjogi under the protection of security personnel raided the home of Mugambwa at night together with graders and they demolished the house and forced him to vacate the entire land.

They also destroyed his plantations, attracting condemnation from the public and Mayanja who ordered the immediate arrest of Serunjogi.

Isah Ssemwogerere, the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson says that Serunjogi is currently being detained at Kiwoko Police Station.

Ssemwogerere however said he is yet to get details on cases that have been preferred against him.

But last week, Mayanja directed Police to charge Serunjogi with criminal trespass, malicious damage and ensure he reconstructs the house of the tenant which he destroyed.

Earlier on Police had refused to arrest Serunjogi insisting that the State Attorney declined to sanction the charges because he possessed a valid court order to effect the eviction.        

But the Deputy Resident District Commissioner John Kaddu rejected the Police's statement insisting that Minister's directive must be followed because Serunjogi fraudulently acquired the order and conducted the eviction at night which was against the guidelines.