Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has warned police in Mityana District against aiding land disputes in the area.
Nabakooba’s warning comes against the backdrop that some errant police officers from Busunju Police station allegedly aided gangs who ascended on land measuring more than 9 acres at Kawoomya village in Busunju Town Council, Mityana District and destroyed a banana planta maize and cassava plantation.
The furious minister has since given the area DP one week to make investigations and submit a report over the issue.
According to Nabakooba, the police’s act of helping goons to destroy people’s food is ruining trust and imposing a bad image on the government.
“If you have started destroying people’s food instead of doing your primary role of keeping peace and order then where should the public go to seek for help? I want the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigations Department and the District Police Commander to give me a report on this matter,” She directed before ordering for the prosecution of whoever was involved in the destructive activities.
She added: “I want this case to be a test case and whoever is involved must be prosecuted. This impunity is not going to continue. We cannot allow impunity to take over this country,” Nabakooba said and emphasized thus ,“We know that you are the people who are supposed to protect the interests of people, and interests of the government.”
The contested land belonged to Kikere Mukuye, who passed away a few years ago and the remaining relatives headed by the heir only identified as Mubiru started terrorizing the widow.
Ms Grace Nassozi, one of the victims said gangs with machetes raided the land where they have their food and destroyed the whole garden. She pleaded to the government to give them food relief to feed their children.
Mr Dan Kizza revealed that after the death of Mukuye, the initial owner of the estate, the heir connived with the grandchildren and sold the land to a yet to be identified person without their consent .
“That is family land and none of the family members was informed when the heir was selling it. The next thing we saw was the grandchildren and Mubiru coming with a group of more than 20 people with pangas to destroy our food,” he shared.
The minister also toured the land at St Paul Kibubula Catholic Sub-Parish where church land was sold off by Mary Nakyazze to other people.
