MP Balyeku pinned on Jinja land
After weeks of playing hide and seek, Jinja West legislator Grace Moses Balyeku appeared before the commission of inquiry into land matters to explain he managed to acquire a land title of a contested piece of land in Jinja town on behalf of an investor Thummar Jay Marganalal.
His appearance follows criminal summons from the chair of the probe Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
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Before the commission, Balyeku was tasked to explain why when acquiring the land title he did not use his names.
"Why didn't you use your name on the land title and you used Marganalal' name?" asked the deputy lead counsel, John Bosco Suuza.
Balyeku replied that he did this to satisfy the investor that land had been secured for him to build a shopping mall.
According to the testimonies given by the district officials from the district land board to the commission, Balyeku allegedly wanted to bribe the officials to secure the land.
"When they came here they told us that you gave them money to take to the chairperson district land board to bribe him to give you the land title. Bamugemereire said."
I didn't give any money to anyone, and why to pay money yet work can be done for me. Said Balyeku"
Balyeku was also questioned on issue of double titling where he acquired the title on top of another title.
He said: "I had interest in this land and even paid Shs 2.5 billion as compensation to some people to go off the land and leave it for the investor."
Later the commission said it would push for the cancellation of the title.
