A 42-year-old businessman, Denis Muguzi, has been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly acquiring registration of family land through fraudulent means.
Muguzi, a resident of Bukasa, Muyenga, in Makindye Division, Kampala District, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi on Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the charge sheet, Muguzi faces two counts — fraud on mortgage of property contrary to Section 290(c) of the Penal Code Act, and obtaining registration by false pretences contrary to Section 292 of the same law.
The State Prosecutor, Grace Amy, informed court that the complainant, Jane Frances Nabayengo, had expressed willingness to reconcile with the accused.
“The complainant has indicated to me that they are in the process of reconciling,” Amy told the court.
Despite this, the Chief Magistrate ordered that Muguzi be remanded to Luzira Prison until November 12, 2025, when his bail application will be heard.
The court noted that the postponement was due to delays in uploading the required surety documents on the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS).
“The sureties have not uploaded the documents as required on ECCMIS, so the bail hearing is deferred,” Magistrate Kayizzi ruled before committing the accused to remand.
Court documents indicate that on December 14, 2021, Muguzi allegedly fraudulently mortgaged land comprised in Kyadondo Block 253, Plot 1804 at Lukuli, concealing key information regarding its true ownership.
It is further alleged that on February 14, 2019, he procured a certificate of title for the same land by falsely claiming lawful acquisition.
Brief facts before the court show that the complainant, Nabayengo, and her family were the rightful owners of land at Lukuli, Kyadondo Block 253, Plot 1340. Records indicate that in April 2018, Nabayengo sold 0.6 decimals of her share to Muguzi, a known land dealer, for Shs 150 million.
An agreement dated April 28, 2018, confirms that Muguzi paid Shs 130 million, leaving a balance of Shs 20 million. As part of the transaction, Nabayengo handed him the duplicate certificate of title and signed transfer forms to facilitate subdivision of his portion, on the understanding that the remaining land would be transferred to her relatives, including John Lubega.
However, investigations by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) revealed that Muguzi allegedly subdivided the entire piece of land into six plots, registering all of them in his name. He later sold and transferred one of the plots — Plot 1809 — to Ronald Kasozi, who became the registered proprietor on May 17, 2023.
Police further reported that Muguzi defaulted on the Shs 20 million balance and, in his caution statement, admitted to subdividing and mortgaging the land. He was later granted police bond but reportedly absconded.
Prosecution informed court that investigations are still ongoing, particularly regarding the sale and transfer of the disputed plots and the alleged misuse of the mortgage.
Muguzi is expected to return to court on November 12, 2025, for the hearing of his bail application.
