By Stuart Yiga
A group of people who recently went publicly and accused the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe of grabbing their land located in Natigi village, in Kigweeri Parish in Ngoma Sub County, Nakaseke District have ‘turned their swords’ down and now seeking for his appointment so they can apologize to him, Red pepper has learnt.
A Nakasongola-based businessman one Banuunu and his team recently dominated the media, while accusing CJ Katureebe of grabbing their land which is about three miles in size.
When he failed to prove ownership of the said land, he allegedly resorted to masterminding negative media stories and hiring mercenaries to help him defeat CJ Katureebe.
Having found no substance in their boss’ claims, now his (Banuunu) some of his ‘hired mercenaries’ have started running to the CJ’s close friends showing willingness to meeting him if he wishes so that they can seek for forgive from him.
The Nakaseke South legislator, Lutamaguzi Ssemakula disclosed in a meeting that was held at the disputed land in Natigi village, that he has started received requests from a number of people who earlier collaborated with Banuunu, now begging him to help them reach out to the CJ so that they can seek for his forgiveness for having been lured into blackmailing him.
The meeting was also attended by area natives including; Israel Nyaritwe, Stephen Mugisha (the then LCI chairperson-2005), Vincent Mayengo, and Rwamuhama, among others, also echoed their support to Katureebe as the legitimate owner of the three miles of land.
THE BACK GROUND OF THE STORY:
The disputed land at first belonged to the late Gwonyooma (now deceased) who allegedly sold it to the late city lawyer George Mugenyi who also sold it to Chief Justice Bart Katureebe in December, 2005.
By the time of his death, Gwonyooma had almost sold off all his land and was remaining with only 200 acres.
The late Gwonyooma’s family members who includes; Ruth Namuddu, Johnbosco Kiwanuka, Ruth Kigongo, among others, others, are believed to have conspired and sold even the only remaining acres 200 of land to Moses Mwiine.
First Beinomugisha, (Manger to CJ’s farm) explains that his boss took charge of his newly acquired land in 2005 after paying all the monies to the late Mugyenyi.
Although he even went ahead to process land titles on the disputed land through his right hand man called Mugarura with the help of the Luweero District land registrar one Mukiibi, it was established during one of the meetings that Banuunu did not know the exact boundaries for the land he claimed to be his.
“One day we put Gwonyooma’s family on task to explain the location of ‘their land’ but none of them had the answer because they did not even know where the boundaries started or ended from apart from the insistence claiming to have bought the land through his lawyers in Kampala,” the area local residents lamented.
“To be sincere, how can someone convinced and reach an extent of paying such a huge amount of money for a piece of land that you don’t know physically! As far as we are concerned, and as leaders,we got shocked when we heard that one Banuunu was claiming for Katureebe’s land because at least some of us witnessed the transaction when it was being made between Katureeba and the late Mugyenyi,” the residents added.
“I am happy that even the CJ has also tasted the bitterness of these land grabbers because it has always been a song heard from among the ordinary people, but now that he has also fallen victim, may be it will help in cracking down these land grabbers and halt their terrorism-look-like habits,” said MP Lutamaguzi.