On Tuesday, the committee summoned one Warren Mwesigye who is said to have bought the land from Namuli at Shs318million in the presence of her son-in-law Peter Amara who also had interest in claiming for the compensation from ULC that had delayed for about five years.
The committee also directed Mwesigye to submit his bank accounts and phone prints to help in the investigations.
However, appearing before the COSASE on Wednesday, Namuli’s son-in law Peter Amara denied allegations of either his mother-in-law or him to have received any money from Mweigye before the chambers of Lubega & Buzibira Advocates.
The compensation scheme that is laced with fraud and irregularities is being probed by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE).
The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises – COSASE has directed the two lawyers from Lubega and Buzibira Company Advocates to submit all their personal accounts, phone prints and CCTV footage from the firm’s office·
The directive was after the committee chaired by the Nakawa West Member of Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi failed to ascertain the exact person that received the compensation payment from the Uganda Land Commission – ULC on behalf of the claimant, one Natalia Namuli, a 79-year old woman in Kagadi district.
Lubega and Buzibira Company Advocate came to the spotlight on allegations of fraud and forgery in the Shs2.3 billion land compensation scam where money was paid to a ‘ghost’ claimant.
Lawyers, Kyle Lubega and Richard Buzibira of Lubega & Buzibira Co. Advocates are said to have represented Namuli to claim for land compensation from ULC as part of the controversial Shs10.6 billion Supplementary Budget that the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development requested for the Financial Year 2020/2021 to pay land claimants in Buganda and Bunyoro sub-regions.
