Legal Aid has intervened to ensure justice for 90-year-old Yayeri Mboneko who is threatened with death by her relatives over land. In February 2011, Mboneko a resident of Kisanja Kichope in Masindi town council fled her home and pitched camp at Masindi police station citing threats from her cousin Yoranimu Mabiho.
Mboneko told police that she sold her two-acre piece of land to Mabiho in April 2007 at 800,000 shillings on condition that she stays on the land until she dies. She explains that Mabiho paid her a deposit of shillings 600,000 and promised to clear the balance later.
An agreement between the buyer and the seller was signed to this effect. Mboneka however says that Yorinimu returned to clear the balance two months later asked her to vacate the land in breach of their sale agreement.
Mboneka says that on realizing that the buyer wanted her off the land, she rejected the 200,000 shilling balance to the annoyance of Mabiho who started threatening her with death. Mboneko says the continuous death threats forced her to flee the home to her relatives and later to Masindi police station, where she has stayed for the past two months.
Her plight has attracted the attention of several stakeholders in Masindi. Legal Aid Masindi has intervened in the matter and was the sale agreement signed between Mboneko and Mabiho revoked. Suzan Zemayi, the head legal Aid Masindi says they are drafting a petition to court seeking the cancellation of the land sale agreement because it was improper.
According to Zemeyi, the alleged agreement was signed without any witnesses and therefore could not rule out forgeries in the land transaction. She says that they visited Mboneko’s deserted home on Friday and plans are underway to have her returned, as they continue the civil suit for the recovery of the land.
David Matovu, Masindi Resident District Commissioner has also intervened in the matter. Matovu regards this as an injustice against the old woman saying the two acre piece of land is not worth the 800,000 shillings it was allegedly bought.
Matovu says that his office is working hand in hand with other stakeholders to ensure the safe return of the old woman to her home and that a guard will be stationed at the home to ensure her safety. Mboneko a widow to the late Yohana Byegarazo lives alone in the house with no one to cater for her.
Juma Okungo, the Masindi district police commander told journalists this morning that Mboneko would be returned to her home today as court prosecution continues against her offender. Yoranimu, the accused is now on court bail for theft by trick and threatening violence. He could not be reached for his comment on the latest events.
