The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Luka Dramani, 58, is struggling to reclaim his customary land in Manibe Sub-county in Arua city despite winning a court case.
Dramani inherited the contested land measuring about 12 acres in Etuka village, Ombaci parish in Manibe Sub-County in Arua city from his father who also inherited it from his father.
He claims that upon the demise of his father, a family from Buka-Ngau clan in the same area encroached on the land and started intimidating him.
According to Dramani, he reported the matter to the LC1, LC2 and LC3 courts in 1996, which all ruled in his favour.
He explains that the family continued using the land in defiance of the local council court ruling prompting him to petition the Arua Chief Magistrate’s Court in 2010.
On March 3rd, 2017, the Chief Magistrate’s court ruled that the two parties share the contested land.
The defendants appealed the decision in Arua high court, which dismissed their appeal in August 2020.
According to Dramani, despite the court decision, the defendants have continued using his land illegally.
Simon Atibuni, one of the accused persons, says that the land wrangle has dragged on because Dramani’s insists on the land they occupy against the court directing them to share the contested land.
Bob Buatre Richard, who has been following the land dispute, says the court decision went in favour of Dramani but the defendants have failed to respect the court decision.
Alex Oriku, the Manibe Sub-county Area land Committee Chairperson, whom Dramani accuses of siding with the alleged encroachers, says the two parties have failed to resolve the matter because the complainant is demanding a huge chunk of land beyond what the court gave him.
********
URN
