Statehouse anti-corruption Unit in liaison with Uganda police, has arrested five Fort Portal city and Kabarole district lands officials.
The arrested, include the area land committee and members of the former west now central division, for allegedly conniving to sell public land along Millane road next to river Mpanga, to a one Abbas’s Balinda a prominent businessman in Fort Portal.
List of the arrested revealed
According to the investigating officer, Wycliffe Mukama, the officers arrested include Shamim Nansubuga , lands staff and senior staff surveyor, Simon peter Kugonza, David Mwesige Baguma, Jessy smart Bwango, the Kabarole secretary land board and Samuel Musana the Fort Portal city physical planner.
It is alleged that during the transition period, the detainees fraudulently sold off several council public lands to business community members, well knowing that others had been preserved as mayor’s gardens due to their proximity to river Mpanga.
About public land sold
Among the public land sold, include 5 plots along the millanane road in Kabundaire which were sold to Abbasi Balinda, Nyakimya land in Kabunaire to Steven Isabalija among others.
Other officers charged with abuse of Office and mismanagement of government funds include Annet Kirungi Pamela the former head of finance in Fort Portal city, and Patrick Alituha the Fort Portal city principal education officer whereas Gerald Mugenyi the senior accounts assistant and sector accountant education is still on the run.
What others say
Mukama says the investigation into more fraudulent land sales in the city is still ongoing and once enough evidence has been gathered, the files will be sanctioned to court for further action.
Asaba Edson Ruyonga the Fort Portal City Mayor told us that though the investigating officers have not yet briefed his office on the arrests he is aware of the operations in the city.
Asaba says the council is also requesting all the titles fraudulently acquired over the same public be counseled immediately
