The Court of Appeal has intervened in a contentious land dispute in Kitgum Municipality by issuing a temporary injunction to halt any development activities on a disputed piece of land at Apollo Ground in West Village.
Delivered by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire on February 15, 2024, the order follows an appeal filed by Tremors Olum, Thomas Olum, and Alex Bagonzana, who contested a ruling made by the High Court in favor of Maratina Akongo and Sam Orach regarding land ownership.
The appeal stemmed from allegations of trespass made by Akongo against the trio, which resulted in the High Court ruling in her favor. Dissatisfied with this decision, Olum and his associates lodged an appeal, expressing concerns about the fairness of the ruling and the risk of losing the land.
In granting the temporary injunction, Justice Bamugemereire stated that the applicants had met the necessary conditions for its issuance. The injunction effectively suspends any development activities on the disputed land until the case is resolved.
The court’s ruling restrains any agents of Akongo or employees from trespassing on the land, selling, portioning, alienating, or evicting the applicants. Justice Bamugemereire emphasized the applicants’ long-standing ownership of the land dating back to 1998, the presence of a structure on the land since then, and consistent rent payments to the town council as factors supporting the grant of the injunction.
