Hoima
Hoima businessman Abdul Malik Mugisa has been arrested on the orders of the State Minister for Lands, Sam Mayanja over a land dispute in Lenju village, Bombo sub-county, Hoima district.
Mugisa, along with his former driver Hakim Hairora, is accused of forgery and falsifying documents related to land ownership.
The arrest followed a meeting convened by Minister Mayanja to address a long-standing dispute involving Mugisa, former Lands Commission chairperson Beatrice Byenkya Nyakaisiki, and local residents.
The contested land—five square miles previously owned by the late Noah Byenkya Kasigwa, Nyakaisiki’s late husband—has been the subject of tension for four years.
Mugisa claims that in 2016, Kasigwa compensated him with two square miles of land after his grader, valued at Shs 600 million, was burned down by locals.
Mugisa subsequently registered the land title under Hairora’s name, fearing legal complications with the Uganda Revenue Authority.
During the meeting, Hairora admitted to having been misled by Mugisa into registering the land in his name and pledged to renounce his ownership.
This confession prompted Minister Mayanja to order Hairora’s immediate arrest for falsifying court documents. Mugisa was later allowed to speak, but his statements were inconsistent, leading the minister to direct police to arrest him as well.
