The government and human rights defenders find themselves at odds in an ongoing battle for a 150-acre parcel of land in Kasilo Village, Kamod Parish, Serere District. The conflict centres around Mr. Moses Omiat, the acknowledged landowner, who alleges continued denial of access and trespassing by top district officials, leading to tree destruction and assaults on his people.
As of June 2022, Soroti High Court Judge Henry Adonyo had declared Mr. Omiat the rightful owner of the disputed land, contested by the Serere District local government. The legal dispute took a new turn last Thursday when Soroti High Court Registrar, Mr. Hussein Nasulu Ntalo, sternly warned against trespassing on the contested property.
Registrar Ntalo, presiding over a court session, emphasized that the respondents, including Serere District Local Government and four others, were in contempt of court orders by cutting trees, making bricks, and accessing the decreed land. Disobeying such orders is a criminal offence in Uganda, carrying the risk of arrest and imprisonment.
The four other respondents, Mr. Joseph Atingu, Mr. Stephen Ejanyu, Mr. Sostine Okoja, and Mr. Calvin Olinga, were specifically mentioned in the court’s warning. Registrar Ntalo held them liable for any destruction and loss of property on the land due to their actions.
Mr. Alex Musisi, one of the lawyers representing Mr. Moses Omiat, revealed that the trespassers, on multiple occasions, invaded the land, cut down various tree species, and engaged in activities such as charcoal burning and brick making. Additionally, they reportedly attacked and harmed Mr. Omiat’s relatives residing on the same land.
The legal representative issued a stern warning that should harm come to Mr. Omiat or any of his relatives, the encroachers would be held accountable. The situation escalated when, despite the court’s decision in June 2022, top district officials allegedly continued to deny Mr. Omiat access to his land.
Justice Adonyo’s decision not only affirmed Mr. Omiat’s ownership but also imposed a fine of Shs320m on Serere District Local Government for the destruction of trees on the contested land. Despite this, the dispute persists, with Mr. Omiat accusing district officials of facilitating trespassers who engage in timber cutting, charcoal burning, brick making, and even hosting a weekly market on his land.
