The pastor of Rock Base Church, Daniel Muwanga, has been convicted of forgery. Lady Justice Winifred Nabisinde found Muwanga guilty on two counts of forgery and uttering false documents. As a result of his conviction, the court imposed a fine of Shillings 2 million.
Muwanga’s legal troubles began in 2020 when he faced charges related to the forgery of documents associated with a 3.5 acre piece of land. This land had originally belonged to his family friend, Reverend Canon Charles Irongo, who serves as the deacon of Kyando Parish in Mayuge District. The disputed land is situated in Kyamagwa Cell in Jinja City Northern Division.
The backstory to this case reveals that Irongo had sought financial assistance from Muwanga in 2018, offering the land title of his farmland as collateral. Muwanga lent him an undisclosed sum of money, which Irongo repaid in December 2018. However, Muwanga refused to return the land title to Irongo, leading to a series of unsuccessful family meetings. Matters escalated in 2019 when local leaders informed Irongo that land dealers were surveying the land for potential sale.
Officials from the Jinja District Land Board later confirmed that Muwanga had transferred the land title into his name and was attempting to sell it for Shillings 226 million. Irongo subsequently filed criminal complaints of forgery, uttering false documents, and trespass at the Jinja Central Police Station in 2020. The case was taken up by the state attorney after initial investigations, and Muwanga was acquitted in 2021 due to insufficient evidence.
Muwanga’s conviction came about as a result of an appeal filed by the state attorney in the Jinja High Court. During the trial, Judge Winifred Nabisinde emphasized that Muwanga had betrayed the trust of his friend by forging Irongo’s signature to unlawfully obtain his property. She pointed out that Muwanga had taken advantage of Irongo’s trust, manipulating him by forging his signature and transferring the land title without detection.
Irongo, on the other hand, faced criticism for his naivety in offering his land title to Muwanga. Following the conviction, Muwanga’s defense lawyer, Jacob Osillo, requested a lenient sentence due to his client’s status as a first-time offender and hypertension, requiring medical attention not available in prison. In response, Judge Nabisinde imposed a fine of Shillings one million per count, totaling two million Shillings, as an alternative to a custodial sentence. In the event that Muwanga cannot pay the fine, he will serve a two-year sentence in Kirinya Prison.
Additionally, Irongo has initiated a civil suit against Muwanga for his continued occupation of the disputed land. The civil suit is currently awaiting a hearing in the Jinja High Court.
