Police in Kampala have started investigations into circumstances under which a woman lost three hundred and fifty million while purchasing 100 acres of fake land in Mubende District.
The victim, Alice Nayebare, a resident of Kisaasi, Kawempe Division in Kampala, purchased the land in question from one Francis Kimbowa two weeks ago at a price of UGX3.5 million per acre only to realise later that she had purchased air, because the place was already occupied by tenants and squatters.
According to Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Nayebare started talks with Kimbowa early this year to purchase a large chunk of his land in Mubende.
He says two weeks ago, she purchased the land after Kimbowa presented her with land title documents proving she was in possession of the land. However, when Nayebare visited the place to start her developments, she realised that the land was unavailable.
Owoyesigyire explains that when Nayebare went on ground, she found out that 25 acres of the bought land had already been sold off while the remaining 75 acres were occupied by squatters and tenants.
He says Nayebare reported the matter to police in Kampala and a case of getting money by false pretense was registered. He adds that police at Jinja Road summoned Kimbowa to record a statement, after which he was released.
He adds that the case file is before the office of the State Attorney for advice as investigations into the matter continue.
Owoyesigyire has however cautioned the public to be wary of land fraudsters and ensure they do due diligence at relevant offices or on ground before proceeding to buy land.
“Let this serve as a warning to members purchasing land not only to look at paperwork but also go on ground. The land could have been sold to two different people and you are buying it based on documents. So on this land there is a conflict between the people who rented the land and those that genuinely bought from the owner,” Owoyesigyire says.
