A long-running land dispute in Mukono District has escalated into a major criminal case after two men were arraigned before the Mukono Grade One Magistrate's Court on allegations of destroying crops, demolishing houses, stealing property worth millions of shillings and forcibly occupying contested land belonging to the estate of a deceased landowner.
Boniface Kayongo, 36, a resident of Lugala in Kampala, and Hamuza Kisekka, 43, of Kiwedde, were on Tuesday remanded to Kauga Government Prison after appearing before Grade One Magistrate Gerald Emwong to answer seven criminal charges linked to the disputed land at Luwunga Village in Mukono District.
The prosecution alleges that the offences were committed between October and November 2025 on land comprising Kyaggwe Block 167, Plot 81, which is claimed by the estate of the late Joseph Kiwanuka. The two accused were arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, which has in recent years intensified investigations into alleged land grabbing and fraudulent land transactions across the country.
According to the charge sheet presented in court, Kayongo, Kisekka and several accomplices who are still at large allegedly embarked on a campaign of destruction targeting crops and developments on the disputed land.
The first three counts accuse the suspects of wilfully destroying extensive food and cash crops belonging to different occupants of the land. Prosecutors allege they destroyed banana plantations, sugarcane, cassava, sweet potatoes, maize, tomatoes, eucalyptus trees and other naturally growing trees belonging to Tooli Paul, Kiwanuka Moses and Kayongo Abbas.
The prosecution further alleges that the destruction extended beyond crops. In one of the most serious counts, the accused are said to have demolished three residential houses belonging to Stella Kiwanuka Bernadetta, the administrator of the estate of the late Joseph Kiwanuka.
Court documents also accuse the suspects of stealing four metallic water tanks valued at approximately Shs25 million and a water pumping machine worth about Shs10 million, bringing the total value of the allegedly stolen property to about Shs35 million.
The final charges relate to the manner in which the land was allegedly taken over. Prosecutors contend that the accused, accompanied by a group of people, forcefully entered the property, graded the land and unlawfully took possession despite knowing it belonged to the beneficiaries of the late Kiwanuka's estate. They are further accused of remaining in occupation in circumstances likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Appearing for the State, Senior State Attorney Christine Ayebare informed the court that investigations had been completed but requested additional time to organise witnesses and prepare the matter for trial.
The defence immediately sought bail, arguing that the accused had already spent a lengthy period in police custody and were entitled to temporary release pending trial.
Although Magistrate Emwong agreed that the offences are bailable under Ugandan law, he deferred hearing the bail application until July 22, 2026, ordering that the accused remain on remand at Kauga Government Prison.
Before being led out of court, Kayongo challenged the prosecution's case, accusing the State House Anti-Corruption Unit of falsely implicating him in the dispute. He appealed to the court to independently establish the truth, insisting that the charges brought against him were unfounded.
The case highlights the increasingly criminal dimension of land disputes in central Uganda, where ownership conflicts that once remained civil matters are increasingly resulting in allegations of violent evictions, destruction of property and criminal prosecutions. With investigators indicating that several suspects remain at large, the Mukono case is expected to attract significant public interest as it proceeds through the courts.
The matter returns to court on July 22 for the hearing of the accused's bail application and further directions on the commencement of the trial.
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