By KT Reporter
Emmanuel Mugaragi, a farmer in Rubanda has accused area Assistant Resident District Commissioners (ARDCs) Hillary Bindeeba and Martin Turyagyenda of shielding suspects and blocking his quest for justice in a land dispute.
Mugaragi, 52, from Karandagasi 1 Village in Kitojo Ward, Bubaare Town Council, said the conflict began on the evening of July 7, 2025, when Wilson Mugisha, the village LC1 chairman, led locals and a grader (registration UAY 677L) onto his land to open a road without his consent.
During the operation, Mugaragi’s Irish potatoes, elephant grass, and fence were destroyed. When he pleaded for time to harvest and remove his property, Mugisha allegedly instructed locals to attack him.
Mugaragi says that in a bid to escape the mob, he hid inside his house, but locals reportedly found him, assaulted him, ransacked his home, and stole UGX 4.7 million and a passport. He also claims that part of his banana plantation and passion fruits were destroyed, and he was threatened with death if he did not drop the matter.
He reported the incident to Rubanda Police, where a case of criminal trespass, malicious damage, assault, and theft was registered under file number CRB 257/2025. Mugaragi alleges that Bindeeba and Turyagyenda influenced suspects to ignore police summons, ordered the file withdrawn, and approached the Directorate of Public Prosecution to have it trashed. He says he has faced repeated harassment since the two officials intervened.
Mugaragi stressed that while he welcomes infrastructure development, he was denied time to harvest his crops and instead suffered assault, property damage, and theft, with his case being allegedly suffocated by the ARDCs.
In response, ARDC Bindeeba denied the allegations that he and Turyagyenda blocked the case. He admitted awareness of the land dispute, which was handled by the office of the Deputy RDC, Mathias Muhuuta Akiintori.
Bindeeba confirmed that the road was opened without Mugaragi’s consent and said advice was given to compensate him with two basins of Irish potatoes for the loss, urging him to move on since the road had already cut through part of his land.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
