Former Minister Kajura dragged to court over Shs1.1bn land

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Service , Henry Mugwanwa Kajura has been dragged to court over a shs1.1 billion property.

According to court documents, Prof.Lee Koma and Koma Berna Asio on July ,30, 2018 entered into an agreement in which Kajura agreed to sell them his 500 acres of land to be carved out of a piece measuring approximately 982 hectares at Buyanja , Masindi.

Both parties had agreed that the property would be sold at a price of shs1.1 billion and the couple would pay shs600 million as the first installment whereas the balance of shs550 million was to be paid within a period of two months.

The couple, however, says after payment of the first installment, the former deputy Prime Minister failed to honor the agreement both parties had made.

“By an amendment to the said agreement executed on December,19, 2018 the parties further agreed that the defendant(Kajura) would give the plaintiffs vacant possession of the land upon paying the first installment and that the balance of shs550 million  would be paid to the defendant upon successfully transferring the purchased part of the land into the joint names of the plaintiffs,” the court documents read in part.

“However, after receiving the first installment payment, the defendant has failed, ignored and refused to demarcate the 500 acres sold to the plaintiffs and put the plaintiffs in possession as per the sale agreement,”

The couple says that Kajura had guaranteed them under the sale agreement that there were no third party interests in the land sold to them and that in case any third parties arose, the defendant would deal with them.

The court documents show that in March, Kajura volunteered to refund the money he had received as first installments because it turned out the land had third party claims.

“The plaintiffs reluctantly agreed to the defendant’s proposal to refund the money but no refund has been made to this day albeit persistent demands from the plaintiffs for the money to be refunded.”

The court documents show that despite efforts to recover the shs600 million paid to Kajura as first payment on the shs1.1 billion land that has become contentious, he has refused to refund it.

Demands

The couple wants the civil division of the High Court to declare that Kajura breached the land sale agreement both parties made and that he should be forced to refund the shs600 million paid to him as first installment on the shs1.1 billion piece of land.

The couple also wants an interest rate of 30 percent per annum from the date the money was received on July, 30, 2018 until payment in full.

They also want special damages totaling to over shs37 million and costs for the case.

The development comes at a time when Kajura is battling with another court case in which he risks losing his palatial home and land measuring over 50 acres in Nyakafunjo village, Kitoba sub-county in Hoima town.

It is said that one Abdu Ssali, a resident of Bweyogere in Kampala is currently in possession of the land title that was handed to him by the former Deputy Prime Minister when he borrowed shs500 million in 2015.

The home which also has the family cemetery risks being taken by Ssali.