Four accused face charges over alleged forged title, irregular land transfer involving property registered to rightful owner since 2011
Four people, including three officials attached to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Ministry Zonal Office and a land dealer, have been remanded to prison over an alleged scheme to fraudulently acquire prime land in Munyonyo, Kampala, in a transaction investigators say involved forged documents, abuse of office and irregular issuance of a land title.
The suspects — Wasswa Charles Jude, a Principal Assistant Secretary; Agaba Ronah, a Government Valuer; Achom Esther, a Data Entry Clerk; and land dealer Kizito John — were arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of abuse of office, criminal conspiracy, forgery and fraudulent procurement of title.
They were remanded until October 29, 2026, as investigations into the alleged land fraud continue.
The case was announced by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, which worked alongside the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
How the alleged land-grabbing scheme unfolded
According to investigators, the accused allegedly conspired in 2024 to irregularly obtain a special certificate of title and facilitate the fraudulent transfer of land situated at Kyadondo Block 255, Plot 532, Munyonyo, in Kampala District.
The contested property measures approximately 0.2020 hectares, equivalent to about half an acre, and belongs to James Mulebeke, who has reportedly been its registered proprietor since 2011.
Investigators allege that Kizito initiated the process by submitting documents to facilitate the acquisition of a special certificate of title without Mulebeke’s knowledge or consent.
The documents were allegedly received by Achom, who forwarded them to Wasswa for processing, despite the transaction documents never having been officially received at the KCCA Ministry Zonal Office.
The application for the special certificate of title was allegedly made using forged documents, raising questions about how the transaction progressed through the relevant administrative procedures.
Official accused of influencing title issuance
Investigators further allege that Wasswa used his position to influence Nabukeera Madinah, a Registrar of Titles at the KCCA Ministry Zonal Office, to issue the special certificate of title without requiring the registered owner to appear for identification.
According to the allegations, Wasswa claimed that he knew the applicant, a circumstance investigators say was used to facilitate the process.
Madinah subsequently approved the transfer of the land to Kizito, allegedly without the registered proprietor appearing for identification and without proper verification of the authenticity of the national identity card and payment receipts for stamp duty and registration fees.
The alleged failures raise serious questions about the safeguards used to protect landowners against fraudulent transactions and the role of public officials entrusted with handling land records.
However, the allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Land valued at Shs200m despite market value exceeding Shs600m
The investigation has also raised concerns over the valuation of the contested property.
Agaba, a Government Valuer, allegedly valued the land at Shs200 million, significantly below its prevailing market value, which investigators estimate at more than Shs600 million.
The discrepancy of more than Shs400 million could become a key issue in establishing how the transaction was handled and whether the valuation contributed to the alleged fraudulent acquisition.
Investigators also established that Mulindwa Jude Tadeo, another Government Valuer, processed the transaction without payment of the requisite stamp duty.
The alleged irregularities involving valuation, documentation, identification and payment verification point to possible failures at several stages of the transaction.
The prosecution will be required to establish the individual roles of the accused and prove the charges before court.
More officials summoned
The case is not limited to the four people already arraigned.
Criminal summons have been issued to Nabukeera Hamida and Mulindwa Jude Tadeo in connection with the matter.
Their summons signal that investigators are pursuing additional individuals allegedly linked to the transaction. The authorities have not, in the information released, provided further details about the next steps in their cases.
The allegations could expose weaknesses in the handling of land transactions at the KCCA Ministry Zonal Office, particularly where special certificates of title are processed and ownership is transferred.
For landowners, the case underscores the risks posed by fraudulent documentation and alleged collusion involving individuals with access to official land administration procedures.
The four accused will return to court on October 29, 2026, as the proceedings continue.
