Bukooli North MP Gastur Kyawa Mugoya is a man not very afraid of controversial moments if the strange episodes that characterized his career as a Magistrate are anything to go by. As a Magistrate, he went to war with many people for mostly property-related disputes including one with Maj Kakooza Mutale regarding the ownership of Kibuli Girls School premises. There was also another battle he had with Busiro East MP Medard Segona’s German client regarding ownership of 37 acres of prime land in Bwebajja. In the end, Segona and many other dissatisfied lawyers petitioned Judicial Service Commission and the rest is history. On disgracefully ceasing to be a Magistrate, the flamboyant Mugoya (renowned for being very shrewd) went into legal practice and Katumwa Sports Center proprietor David Katumwa became one of his big name clients. Katumwa suffered the embarrassment of his life when he faced prosecution for sexual offences but gratefully the Mugoya law firm successfully defended him. A grateful Katumwa vowed not to let Mugoya go. He became his lawyer on many other matters including the selling of the land he co-owned in Gayaza.
The other co-owner was an old man who had retired and actually used his entire pension to purchase the land in Gayaza. He linked up with Katumwa saying he wanted to erect a modern sports complex in Gayaza where the hundreds of acres were located. He believed Katumwa’s experience and vast connections would expedite the soliciting of the necessary partnerships within Uganda and abroad. The duo tried to get a loan from the bank using the land title as security but all banks turned their back on them on grounds that the money they wanted was too much to be adequately secured by the land. They tried to get buyers and failed. It was then that Katumwa considered his smart lawyer Mugoya in whose favor a power of attorney was executed to increase the ease with which potential buyers would be solicited. Mugoya struggled until he gratefully got the buyer. The land was bought and title transferred without adequately consulting Katumwa and his co-owner. By the time the Katumwas discovered the land had already been sold, the Kwagalana tycoon to whom Mugoya initially sold had resold the same thrice to different fellow Kwagalana members. The plan was to use the money and relocate to a more remote place in Luwero district where they could secure a bigger piece of land and situate the sports complex more spaciously. On failing to get the money passed onto them, the duo preferred criminal charges against the culprits at Buganda road court. They couldn’t go far, this being Uganda. The children of the old man (names withheld) then teamed up with Katumwa and plotted caveating the land to frustrate the Kwagalana tycoon who had bought the land. He indeed couldn’t enjoy quiet possession. But still, the old man’s children didn’t feel comfortable enough. They petitioned the government, Mugoya’s employer through the Ministry of Lands where State Minister Parsis Namuganza took up the assignment to get justice for Katumwa and the old man. She opened a very big file on Mugoya’s activities and investigations started all aimed at corroborating the Katumwas original petition. In a phone interview, Namuganza confirmed being petitioned by the aggrieved party regarding the Gayaza land. She said she was doing all she can to get justice for the old man (Katumwa’s co-owner) whom she said had developed strange ailments related to heightened blood pressure following the Mugoya fiasco. “We always get such cases but this one is unique in that the perpetrator is an MP who is supposed to be the voice of the voiceless and the victim is every old man who had put his entire pension in that land,” said Namuganza who earlier this year was expelled from Busoga Parliamentary Group (BPG) in a move spearheaded and communicated to the press by Mugoya himself. When reached, through an emissary, Katumwa confirmed being aggrieved and promised to share much more (including relevant documents) when he returns to town next week. In a related development, desperate to get money for the old man’s medication, the children have also separately reported the matter to the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire Commission that has lately been trimming many public officials previously thought to be untouchable. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
