Two businesswomen are at the center of a controversy surrounding a piece of land valued at a staggering 500 million Ugandan shillings. Annet Ndagire, one of the accused, appeared before the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on April 16, 2024, facing a litany of forgery charges under the scrutiny of Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro.
The charges stem from alleged offenses related to a parcel of land situated in Block 392 Plot 23 Sekiunga Musaale, located in Busiro, within the jurisdiction of Wakiso district. Ndagire, identified as a businesswoman, stands accused alongside Pamela Musiimire, another businesswoman hailing from Kitala Kajjansi in Wakiso district, and Loyce Kiconco, an assistant registration officer at the Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB). Kiconco had previously faced charges on March 13, 2024, and currently enjoys bail.
The prosecution alleges that between February and September 2021, Ndagire, along with Dalausi Kabogoza, a businessman from Munyonyo, engaged in a series of forgery activities in both Kampala and Wakiso districts. Among the accusations are claims of forging a power of attorney dated February 15, 2021, purportedly signed by Mary Grace Deppler Nandawula and Paulino Ssedduge.
These alleged forged documents, including a power of attorney and a land sale agreement, were purportedly used with the intent to defraud. The prosecution, led by Chief State Attorney Nelly Asiku, asserts that Ndagire and Kabogoza presented these falsified documents to various entities, including the Uganda Registration Service Bureau, in a bid to legitimize their claims over the disputed land.
In a separate but related matter, Pamela Musiimire faces charges of forgery and conspiracy to defraud. The prosecution alleges that Musiimire forged a notice, ostensibly signed by Nandawula, aimed at halting encroachment on the disputed land. Additionally, Musiimire is accused of conspiring with others to defraud Nandawula in connection with the land transaction.
Following their court appearance, Ndagire and Musiimire were remanded to prison until April 19, 2024, pending a bail application hearing. Magistrate Aciro has indicated her intention to issue criminal summons for Kabogoza and Kiconco to appear in court on the same date, ensuring that all parties involved in this complex legal saga have their day in court.
