The UPDF Air Defence Commander, Major General Jim Owoyesigire, has denied claims that he grabbed more than 500 acres of land in Masindi district.
Owoyesigire has recently come under criticism from the more than 1,200 people who were forcefully evicted from their homes in Mirya sub-county.
One of the evictees, Gilbert Angalla, yesterday reported the Air Defense Commander to the Masindi Land Tribunal, accusing him of land grabbing. He also accused him of fencing off the land without consulting the area residents.
Owoyesigire has described the allegations as baseless and only aimed at tarnishing his reputation. He says he paid 30 million shillings for the 503 hectare piece of land and has documented evidence to prove the purchase. He also says families affected by the purchase were compensated for their loss.
//Cue in: iI have nothing #i
Cue out: i# foreigners own land here?i//
Owoyesigire says he plans to set up an orphanage on the piece of land.
Angalla insists that the land tribunal should halt any re-development on the land under contention until the matter is settled.
