A senior officer of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has expressed frustration with Mukono Police following the release on bond of a suspect he claims to have pursued for three years.
Major Mark Wanyama says the suspect, identified as Fredrick Namara Karuhanga, was recently arrested in connection with the 2023 demolition of his house on Mbeya Island in Lake Victoria.
However, he was freed on police bond just days after being taken into custody.
The officer said he was disappointed by the development, arguing that the suspect had long been evading authorities and was expected to be arraigned in court.
According to Major Wanyama, his house was demolished by individuals allegedly acting under the direction of Karuhanga, whom he claims had been hired by businessman Jackson Twinamastiko, a former Mukono District Land Board committee chairperson.
Police had reportedly been tracking Karuhanga for three years before his recent arrest by the State House Land Protection Unit.
His subsequent release on bond by Mukono Police has, however, sparked concern from the army officer.
“I was surprised that after apprehending a suspect who had been on the run for years and was supposed to appear before court, he was released after just four days,” Wanyama said.
He further alleged that at the height of the dispute, some residents of Mbeya Island were arrested and charged with serious offences, including allegations related to murder, amid claims that he had died — despite him being alive.
Major Wanyama maintains that he has followed all legal procedures in pursuit of justice and has avoided taking matters into his own hands.
He said he remains committed to upholding the dignity of the army and respecting the rule of law, even as he criticised what he described as lapses by some authorities in handling the case.
He revealed that the demolished structure was intended to serve as his retirement home after completing his military service.
A visit to Mbeya Island shows that the site where the house once stood remains abandoned since its demolition. Some residents described the officer as cooperative and supportive, claiming he donated part of his land for the construction of a school and a church to benefit the community.
At the centre of the dispute is ownership of Mbeya Island in Mukono District. Both Major Wanyama and businessman Jackson Twinamastiko claim legitimate rights to the land, a disagreement believed to have triggered the long-running conflict.
Twinamastiko has denied any involvement in the demolition of Wanyama’s house, distancing himself from individuals who allegedly carried out the act and maintaining that he was not behind the incident.
Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala defended the decision to grant bond, saying it is a constitutional right.
“It is everyone’s right to get police bond. Karuhanga being released does not mean the case has ended,” she said, adding that the case file has been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for further investigation.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is expected to review the file and provide guidance on the next course of action as the land dispute continues to unfold.