Man fined UGX 35.2M for defrauding lawyer in fake land sale

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Gulu Grade One Magistrate Christine Turibamwe on Tuesday afternoon imposed a fine of 35.2 million Shillings on a man for defrauding a lawyer in a fake land sale.

Court heard that Denise Oyoo, a resident of Gulu city sold a 113 by 59 meters piece of land located at Laliya Parish, Laliya sub county in Gulu district at 26 million Shillings to Moses Oyet, a Gulu based lawyer. The land was sold on December 7th, 2018.

Prosecution however told court that the bona fide owner of the land in question showed up early this year with all the documents for the land, forcing the complainant to pay additional UGX 35 million for possession of the land.

According to Moses Oyet, the complainant on learning that Oyoo sold him land belonging to another person, he called him for negotiations for refund of the UGX 26 million but that Oyoo chose to go into hiding, only to be arrested and charged with obtaining money under false pretense contrary to section 305 of the Penal Code Act.

Oyet who pleaded guilty of the offense asked court to give him a little time to sell his two hectare piece of land to refund Oyet’s money.

Turibamwe fined Oyoo UGX 35.2 million Shillings saying the UGX 35 million shall be to compensate Oyet while UGX 200,000 shall be paid to the government and that if Oyoo defaults on the fine, he shall spend 4 years in jail.

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