Bulambuli, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | People who were tortured, beaten and injured by police officers and goons over land conflicts, want Julius Sakwa, the OC of Bunambutye police station and his CID officer Robert Wabuyi transferred.
The affected residents are from three sub counties of Bunambutye, Bwikhonge and Bunambutye in Bulambuli district. They stated their demands during a security meeting on land conflicts which was held at Bunambutye sub county head offices.
The over 4,000 people evicted from three sub counties in Bulambuli district claim their plots of land have been grabbed by a politician who is behind their torment. According to locals, last week goons hired by the politician armed with sticks, stones, bricks and escorted by police came and found them cultivating, descended on them, beat them seriously claiming that they were digging in the land of the politician.
Robert Mutambo, one of the victims from Bunambutye sub county who was shot in the leg by police officers while cultivating in his garden last week, blamed police of not keeping law and order and instead helping the politician to grab their land. He adds that he acquired that plot of land from his father who died in 1997, but wonders how a politician can now claim its ownership.
Mutambo blamed Sakwa the OC for commanding the police officer to shoot him and goons to beat up people who are carrying out cultivation in their own land.
Clad Judith from Bumufuni sub county also accused the politician of forging documents to grab their land. She adds that they have moved to all necessary offices in the country to get assistance but they have failed to get justice. They have therefore urged the concerned authorities to transfer these police staff members so that they can bring for them good people who can work with them to fight land grabbing in the area.
However, Sam Etom, the Elgon region CID officer who represented the region police commander has asked locals to go to court for justice with their documents which prove that they own the plots of land.
He urged the locals to be calm, saying that they will do their investigations about their officers and if found guilty as alleged, they will be penalized since nobody is above the law.
Nyasio Mudimi Wamakuyi, the Elgon county member of parliament has refuted claims of torturing residents or using goons to beat people. He adds that he has all documents which prove his ownership of that land, saying that anybody with evidence to prove that the land is not his can seek court redress.
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