The year 2018 is unforgettable in the life of a 61-year-old Penina Kobugabe, resident of Kijooha cell, Buremba sub county Kazo district – then Kiruhura district.
Its the year she turned into a poor woman from the well off lady a status she boasted of for a while.
In the fateful year on 1st October, his biological brother Mark Enoth Kamanzi a renowned city lawyer of M.KAMANZI and Co. Advocates advertised the sale of his land he earned as a share of their fathers estates approximately 10.183 hectares.
On learning about the advert, extremely excited with the enthusiasm to retain and protect her father’s estate and legacy, Kobugabe offered in her bid to buy the land.
The two parties agreed a deal of One hundred million shillings (100,000,000).
Kobugabe says; she opted to sell off her land she had bought out of her personal gains at a cost of 150million shillings and remitted to mark a first installment of 75 million shillings through his Stanbic bank account 9030003820013 on 22/10/2018 and there after he issued a receipt to acknowledge the transaction stating the sale of land at block 50 plot 1 at Kijooha cell in Buremba sub county Kiruhura district(now Kazo district).
The two parties agreed on how the balance shall be remitted. Kobugabe paid in instalments up to the last dot finishing the 100million shillings on 05-07-2019 some of which was deposited on counsel Mark Kamanzi’s MTN mobile money number 0785744122.
However after only two days of clearing the balance, Kobugabe was evicted off the land.
“On 07/07/2019 as I was attending church, Counsel Kamanzi came on my land with a swam of machetes wielding men and ordered off my herdsmen and cattle, he later deployed them as guards not allowing us access up to date” Kobugabe told the Eye media Uganda on Wednesday, May 10th.
Since then the ‘poor’ lady has tried to seek for redress from different authorities in vain.
She opened up cases of criminal trespass and obtaining money by false pretence at Kiruhura police station. However the state trashed them, advising the worrying parties to go civil.
This however didn’t stop police from following up the matter and later came up with a report to this effect.
The police report signed by ASP Aine Bernice the OC CID Kiruhura police station on 11/03/2020 recommended the following.
1. That Penina Kobugabe should access the land that she has already paid for .
2. If not the money should be returned to her.
3. That if possible the family should be reconciled.
On 23rd July 2019 Kobugabe petioned His President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.Her petition was received on 25 July 2019.
She says that,, on the same date, the state house issued a directive to the Resident District Commissioner of Kiruhura district in a document signed by Flora Kiconco on behalf of the Principal Private Secretary of H.E the president to intervene in the matter. However to her dismay, Kobugabe states that the RDC never intervened as was directed.
She tried her luck at the Uganda Law council by petitioning secretary for the council to prevail over the errant advocate, the petition was received on 25/07/2019 but she’s yet to get any response.
Amidst all this, Kobugabe says is yet to get justice as his brother, counsel Mark Kamanzi continues to use his influence as an officer of court to suffocate her rights.
However speaking to us on phone, Counsel Mark Kamanzi acknowledged receipt of money from his sibling but says it was paid as rent for the use of land not for purchase as alleged by Kobugabe.
He further said that the matters are before the High Court in Mbarara thus not divulging details not to contempt court.
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