KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY; The Director of Public Prosecution, Jane Frances Abodo has discontinued charges against a veteran surgeon who has been facing charges of defamation against Ephraim Ntaganda.
Dr. Apollo Kaggwa was charged under section 179 and 522 of the Penal code ACT.
Ntaganda had alleged on March 14, 2022 this year, Ephraim Ntaganda aged 46, that Dr Kaggwa and a Vision Group journalist for defamed him.
In a police statement, Ntaganda claimed that in March, some unidentified person called him that he had received a parcel via DHL.
‘’I am sure about the number he used to call me but I think he was called Mugisha Raymond could. He delivered it to me and before I could receive it, I asked the delivery guy to open it.’’ Ntaganda said in a statement
‘’He told me that he had been sent by Appolo Kagwa. There was a dossier that I am a murderer- a suspect in two cases of murder being investigated at Kajjansi. He also accused me of threatening his life. I took it as rubbish but told Raymond to leave the document.’’ Ntaganda says in his statement.
He said that he had opened it ‘’and my children of 12 and 7 years were shocked when they realized they had read the document and asked about the two people I had killed.’’
Later, Ntaganda says, the chair of Kwagalana group told him that a news reporter from New Vision had called him about the validity of the allegations and afterwards Kirumira sent the said allegations to the disciplinary committeeee.
”Now I don’t know my fate these defamatory statements have caused misery in my family. They are affecting my family and my business. Mr Kaggwa is defaming me and that is why I have decided to report this matter.’’ Ntaganda said.
He added that he has faced a lot of anguish and that in Bukedde and New Vision was a story that the president Museveni had directed to the IGG to investigate him.
‘’All this was fake news and they apologized. But that the reporter is coming from new vision, I suspect this is the group of people trying to tarnish my name. I need them to be brought to book before courts of law. I am not a murderer. I have never called Mr. Kaggwa,” Ntaganda said.
Land row
There is an on going fued between Ntaganda and Dr. Kaggwa over 25 acres land in Kajjansi Forest reserve.
Dr Apolo Kaggwa says he acquired a multiple annual license to manage part of the 196 hactares of Kajjansi forest reserve but he was surprised when in 2018, Ntaganda came bearing a freehold land title and attempting to evict the occupants.
“Ntaganda has with all the impunity cut down all my eucalyptus trees on 25 acres four times in one year. He boasts courts and police work on his orders and that I can’t do anything about it,” Dr Kaggwa said.
Dr Kaggwa claims that Ntaganda works through his proxy company, Nada apartments Ltd that is registered in the names of his wife Denimous Monica and another woman identified as Mutoni Winnie who is said to be relatives to Ntaganda.
Records show in 1996, the forestry department now the National Forestry Authority (NFA) awarded a lease to Dr Kaggwa to plant trees in a bid to scale up afforestation. Gazetted land in Uganda is protected under article 237 of the 1995 Constitution where it is clarified no one can write a land title over it.
Kajjansi forest reserve was gazetted in 1932. Here, the first forestry office was set up before it was moved to Entebe and now Nakawa. The reserve once consisted of 297 hactares.
Dr. Kaggwa in a public meeting with the Junior lands Minister, Sam Mayanja on March 29, alleged that Ntaganda has sent him gangs thrice in two years and they have cut down thousands of eucalyptus trees but sometimes residents have fought them away.
Dr Kaggwa said last year on December 19, December 24, Ntaganda men cut down the forest but police from Kajjansi managed to takeaway some invaders who were however evacuated to Kampala by the environment police. No news we were able to get about their status.
“Ntaganda doesn’t care about anyone he bragged police, court were in his pockets. He acts with a lot of impunity but I told him I would deal with him,” Dr Kaggwa said.
Dr Kaggwa claimed that Ntaganda has championed land grabbing around the country especially in Wakiso and Kampala.
“They are destroying the nation. They are gods on Earth. My fight with Ntaganda is to set a precedent to deter his actions, his impunity,”Kaggwa said.
Minister Mayanja said there is a cartel.that acts with impunity and that is championing land steal, evictions and encroachment on lakes.
“President asked me to stop those, president outlawed all their acts. The land title on this land was created in 2013 after the 1995 barring gazetted from encroachment. I will issue order to cancel this title” Mayanja said.
He said he would write to the IGG asking her to investigate lands officers who made this title.
“We will look into whether they abused office, bribery and corruption. The surveyor, valuer must be arrested, the third one is catographer…the registrar who issued the title,” Mayanja said.
Mayanja also said he will ask the CID director to look into whether the title held by Ntaganda is genuine.
“All those who assisted, those actors, the accessory before and after the fact…..If we find that the title wasn’t a forgery, then all participants will be arrested. No one will escape this. No title could have been issued here. Title is dead from start,” Mayanja said.
Tycoons have invaded many of the gazetted land in Entebe area with a number of forest reserve a at risk. These include; Kyewaga, Entebe, Mugumba, Kisubi, Kanjaza, Nakawuka, Semunyo, Kalangalo, Kitubulu,Entebe, Walumwanyi, Masaka road, Mako, Kasanje.
At the scene of the meeting, there were residents who looked to have been hired but held placards that were a ridicule to Ntaganda.
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