By Aggrey Baba
They say a thief has forty days, but the law has eternity. After months of legal battles, the Entebbe Chief Magistrates’ Court has set March 28 as the new date for the hearing of a high-profile land fraud case involving property dealer Hajji Muhammad Kamoga.
This follows a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to overturn a previous High Court order that had halted Kamoga’s trial.
Kamoga, the proprietor of Kamoga Property Consultants, is accused of fraudulently transferring land titles, forging signatures, and illegally obtaining property ownership documents.
The land in question, covering over 200 acres in Wakiso District, originally belonged to businessman Peter Bibangamba. Prosecutors allege that Kamoga forged Bibangamba’s signature on transfer forms to claim ownership of the land.
This is not the first time Kamoga has found himself at the center of a land-related dispute. The controversial land dealer was recently on a collision course with renowned city DJ and radio presenter Suuna Ben. Suuna accused Kamoga of fraudulently adding his ex-lover, media personality Mary Nambwayo, to his land title in Garuga, Entebbe, without his consent. The matter sparked heated exchanges, with Kamoga at one point vowing to sue Suuna for defamation. However, the two eventually resolved the dispute amicably.
Meanwhile, in the current case, Kamoga’s legal troubles deepened after High Court Judge Isaac Muwata halted his trial, a move that the DPP challenged in the Court of Appeal.
A panel of justices, Frederick Egonda Ntende, Cheborion Barishaki, and Asa Mugenyi ruled in favor of the prosecution, stating that the High Court had overstepped its authority in stopping the trial. In their October 2024 ruling, the justices quashed the decision, allowing the case to proceed.
Kamoga also faces additional charges of malicious damage to property and the unlawful eviction of Harriet Nabyonga, a resident of Bukaaya village. Prosecutors claim that in May last year, Kamoga unlawfully destroyed Nabyonga’s property and forcefully removed her from her home.
The case has drawn significant public attention, highlighting the growing concerns over land fraud in Uganda.
With the court now clearing the way, all eyes will be on March 28, when Kamoga will have to answer the charges against him. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
