The businessmen allegedly collude with Lands Registry officials. They create dubious land titles in wetlands, gazetted forest reserves, lake, and river shores, and on all public lands, where planned infrastructure projects like roads, railways, and power lines are due.
Once the huge government infrastructure projects commence, they submit the fake land titles and demand billions of shillings in compensation.
Ephraim Ntaganda, Godfrey Kirumira, Sudhir Ruparelia, and Hassan Basajjabalaba have been accused of being beneficiaries of such land transactions.
All the titles in the hands of State House investigators lack the following:
a. official minutes,
b. official instruments,
c. official URA tax and
d. are registered in fictitious names and companies.
Interviewed on Monday, February 21, for a comment, Sudhir said the claims are fake. The minister of state for Lands Sam Mayanja was ordered to politically superintend the investigations. We, however, couldn’t reach him for a comment.
But an official in the same ministry, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to comment on such matters, confirmed that the ministry will soon write to all ministries and the fingered businessmen laying out the issues to be investigated.
Interviewed for a comment, the Inspector General of Government Beti Namisango Kamya confirmed on Monday, that the president had directed her to investigate the businessmen’s land dealings.
“It’s true I have instructions to investigate and prosecute those people,” she said.
President Museveni has also ordered an investigation into all government ministries working in collusion with the racket to steal from the government.
Investigations are now underway into several ministers, permanent secretaries, and officials in the ministries of Energy and Mineral Development, Lands and Housing, Lands Registry, Works and Transport, UNRA, Office of the Attorney General, and ministry of Finance and Planning.
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