Credible Sources in the Commission of Inquiry into land matters have told the Grapevine that the Commission’s chairperson justice Catherine Bamugemereire finally talked to president Yoweri Museveni the appointing Authority.
“She has been talking to the president, no one can interrupt the chair’s attention in the middle of the hearing apart from the president. From yesterday, the judge has been waiting for the president’s call. She has many matters to report to him,” our source revealed. He said that Molly Kamukama, the Private Secretary to the president reported to the judge that the president received her letter where she asked the president for guidance after clashing with Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, who was dismissed and discharged from the commission’s record. Kamukama told the judge that the president wanted to talk to her on phone.
On Thursday, when the commission was handling the Kamwonkya land scandal, the judge told the public and the commission’s Assistant lead Counsel Andrew Odit that she was expecting a very important call from a very important person in the country within ten minutes. She told him to keep it in his mind. Within eight minutes after Bamugemereire’s pronouncement, her phone rang. She immediately adjourned the hearing and moved out at a very high speed. After 30 minutes, Odit told the public that the hearing was adjourned to Monday. Our source revealed to us that the judge and the president talked about a mountain of issues including giving her new instructions on the Mutungo land saga. We were told that some of the instruction given to Bamugemereire include summoning Rukutana back to the Commission to testify.
Bamugemereire told the president that Rukutana intentionally disrespected the commission and provoked them to avoid questions fired at him by Ebert Byenkya the Commission’s lead Counsel concerning his legal opinion concerning the payment of shs26bn to city businessman Dr Muhammad Kasasa on Mutungo Land.
Bamugemereire reported to the president that the commission has been investigating the manner in which the government acquired the 640 acres of land on Kyadondo Block 237 plot 56,49 and 27 measuring. Bamugemereire explained to the president that in 2009, government fully paid shs2.4bn to Kasasa but the commission wanted to get his legal opinion on another shs26bn payment to Kasasa.
BAMUGEMEREIRE ISSUES ARRESTING WARRANT AGAINST RUKUTANA’S HENCHMAN
Earlier, the judge issued an arresting warrant against Sabastian Ruta Ngambwa the alleged henchman to Mwesigwa Rukutana. Odit reported to the judge that Ruta Ngambwa, a director with Prime Real Estate Properties limited has jumped three witness’s summonses where he is supposed to submit to the commission all the documents that lists the names of tenants, he claims to have paid during the evictions in Bukusukuma sub county Nasana municipality. “My lord, this is now the third time Mr. Ruta Ngambwa is refusing to honor the commission’s summons. My lord does hereby issue a warrant of arrest against Mr. Ruta Ngambwa,” Odit prayed. Bamugemereire agreed with Odit and issued the arresting warrant against Ruta Ngambwa. The judge ordered police to arrest Ruta.
“This is a warrant of arrest, under section 9 of the commission of inquiries act, any and every police officer to arrest Ruta who was supposed to provide documents to the commission,” the judge ordered. Ruta Ngambwa is alleged to have been used by Attorney General to grab over 630 acres of land in Buso, Buwaga, Makenke in Nansana municipality, Wakiso district. Ruta is also accused by the family of late Joseph Katerega for grabbing their 235 acres of land in Buwaga.
By Jamil Lutakome
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