The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested 11 personnel from Magnum Security, a private security firm, for their involvement in an illegal eviction and subsequent protection of a contested property located at Plot 106, Old Kira Road, Ntinda.
The events leading to these arrests date back to December 26, 2022, when the family home of the late Eng. Johnson Eliba Orech was demolished without a court order. This demolition followed a similar attack orchestrated by individuals acting on the directives of Yusuf Semakula.
An investigation into the matter was initiated by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, leading to the issuance of an interim injunction by the Court of Appeal on December 23, 2023. This injunction mandated the maintenance of the status quo, allowing the Eliba family to retain occupation of the property pending the resolution of court cases regarding its ownership.
However, in defiance of the injunction, Semakula orchestrated a second eviction of the family on March 1, 2024. Subsequently, Magnum Security was deployed to guard the premises, prompting the swift intervention of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
The arrested personnel from Magnum Security are now subject to further legal proceedings as the investigation progresses. In January this year, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Uganda Police Force arraigned six suspects before the KCCA Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of Aggravated Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony.
The suspects included Lukwago Julius, Kato Hussein, Okello Peter, Katerega Umar, Ochen Hussien, and Bahati Godfrey. The suspects were arrested by Kira Road police station following an incident on the night of 5th January 2024. According to reports, the suspects forcefully entered the partially demolished home of the late Eng. Johnson Eliba Orech without any court orders.
Armed with machetes, they violently attacked and robbed one of the family members of his phone and money. This action followed a previous incident on December 26th, 2022, where individuals, allegedly acting on the instructions of Yusuf Ssemakula, unlawfully demolished the same property.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit had been investigating the matter, with the expectation that the status quo would be maintained until the conclusion of court cases regarding the property’s ownership.
Upon receiving a distress call from a family member, officers at Kira Police Station swiftly responded and apprehended the six suspects. During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to being sent by Yusuf Ssemakula, who has been linked to similar cases of illegal evictions reported to the Unit.
