The Attorney General is seeking to represent four police officers involved in a land dispute case in Namanve Industrial Park, Wakiso District. The police officers, including the Kampala East Regional Police Commander and the Mukono District Police Commander, are accused of flouting a temporary injunction order issued on February 15, 2022, by granting businessman Godfrey Kalule Kirumira and his staff access to 46 acres of land in the park that are in dispute with the proprietor of Liberty ICD Limited, Prof Minaz Karmali. Kirumira is alleging that the police officers violated the injunction, and he wants the court to convict two of them for contempt of court. The Attorney General is contending that the officers were acting in the course of their official duties and cannot be held personally liable for the purported actions.
The legal conflict between Kirumira and Karmali over the ownership of the 46-acre land has been ongoing for two years. Kirumira maintains that he is the registered owner of the land, while the government and the investor contend that he obtained it illegally. When UIA intended to buy part of the land and lease it to Chinese investors, Prof Karmali and the Uganda Investment Authority discovered that Kirumira had taken possession of the Shs15b land at Shs400m. Kirumira claims he purchased the land from Yokana Galikwoleka Mukasa in October 2017, but Mr Joseph Muwangizi, who has been a resident for the last 30 years, asserts that Mukasa died in 1996. As a result, Prof Karmali claims that Kirumira’s deals are contaminated with fraud and forgery.
The legal dispute is complicated, encompassing allegations of fraud and forgery, contempt of court, and the interpretation of property ownership laws. The Attorney General’s application to represent the police officers introduces a new dimension to the case, raising concerns about the extent of government liability for the actions of its officials. Legal experts and the public will be eagerly awaiting the Mukono High Court’s decision on whether to allow the Attorney General to represent the police officers.
The Mukono High Court has adjourned the hearing to May 25 to allow Kirumira to respond to the Attorney General’s request.
