Kampala lawyer and a businessman were briefly detained by detectives attached to the State House Land Matters and Environment Protection Unit following investigations into alleged grabbing of a prime piece of land in Muyenga, Makindye Division.
Mubarak Kinene, a lawyer with ALMA Associated Advocates was jointly arrested and detained with his client Ibrahim Kibirige after they defied orders to halt developments on the land they are accused of grabbing.
Sources privy to the inquiries said that on July 29, 2026 the head of Presidential Special Task Force on Land Matters and Environment, Brig Gen. Moses Lukyamuzi issued a directive stopping the activities on the contested land pending investigations which Kibirige through his lawyers of ALMA Associated Advocates declined to respect.
Gen. Lukyamuzi’s letter was addressed to Kibirige and his accomplices who included Henry Sseruyange, Chota Margaret, Chota Jane, Ogongo Julius, Eberu John and Dr James Alfred Obita.
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It is alleged that Kibirige with the help of lawyers jointly with Chota Margaret and other people unlawfully interfered with the ownership of land by constructing on it with the intentions of grabbing it.
Dr Obita, who claims to have purchased the said land from the late Dr Chota Vuru complained to the State House Unit leading to investigations into accusations of land grabbing and trespass on land at Block 244, plot 3226 at Kisugu Muyenga in Kampala.
It is alleged that Kibirige and his accomplices forged letters of administration for the late Dr Chota Vuru and also letters of administration to purport that Dr Obita was also dead.
However, in response, the lawyers of ALMA Associated Advocates representing Kibirige argued that their client is the registered owner of contested land which he purchased from the administrators of the estate of the George Basil Chota Vuru.
According to the lawyers’ reply, Dr Obita who claims to own the land is not among the administrators, petitioners nor beneficiaries to the estate of the late Chota Vuru and that he has never been registered on the duplicate title.
“That our client (Kibirige) further more informs us that your client (Obita) is a fraudster of land in Uganda and a land grabber who should be arrested immediately without delay for causing fraud and trespassing on land without documentation but basing on stories and hearsay as evidence,” reads the lawyers’ letter.
In an irritating statement, the lawyers wrote: “He will not stop any activity on the suit land which is a multi-billion project based on allegations which may affect the committee for presidential special task force land matter and environment and the complaint at large.”
Documents obtained by this publication show that Kibirige has since petitioned the Land Division of the High Court suing Dr Obita for trespass on his land.
It is alleged that Kibirige purchased the said land in May 2026 from Chota Margaret Muraa described as the executor of the estate of the late Chota Vuru.
According to the agreement, Kibirige purchased the said land at Shs1.08bn and the agreement was witnessed by Margaret Chota and her lawyer Bill Mamawi while Kibirige did not have a witness.
The agreement was drawn by S.K Kiiza and Company Advocates who also did not sign or stamp on it.
