By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested 11 employees of Magnum Security, a private security company who were unlawfully deployed to forcibly evict and subsequently guard a disputed property located at Plot 106, Old Kira Road, Ntinda.
According to the Unit, on December 26, 2022, when the family residence of the late Eng. Johnson Eliba Orech located on the contested land, was demolished without a court order after a similar assault orchestrated by individuals acting under the directives of Yusuf Semakula.
In January, the Anti-Corruption Unit collaborated with the Kira Road police station to arraign the six suspects before the KCCA Chief Magistrate’s Court.
These individuals faced charges of aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony. The arrest occurred on the night of January 5, 2024, when the suspects without any legal authorization, forcibly entered the partially demolished family home armed with machetes and violently robbed one family member of his phone and money.
Officers at Kira Police Station were able to respond to a distress call made by another family member and apprehend the six suspects who indicated to the police that they had also been sent by Yusuf Ssemakula, who is sighted in several similar cases of illegal evictions reported to the Unit.
This incident was investigated by the Anti-Corruption Unit and the status quo (occupation of the property by the Eliba family) was to be maintained pending the conclusion of court cases as to the ownership of the property at the Court of Appeal which issued an interim injunction to that effect on December 23, 2023.
However, Yusuf Semakula on March 1, 2024 caused a second eviction of the family from the premises and deployed Magnum Security prompting the Unit to take action.
The State House Anti Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) in one year, 2022, managed to recover Ugx35.484bn from corruption masters of this country, the annual report revealed.
The Unit also managed to arrest and arraign in court over 448 suspects. Among these, courts convicted 70 culprits including government accounting Officers, Executive Officers, managing directors, Secretaries of Commission, CAOs, and Town Clerks.
SH-ACU was established under Article 99(4) of the constitution of Uganda, which gives the President executive powers to either directly or indirectly perform his duties or through officers subordinate to him.
Launched on 10th December 2018, SH-ACU coordinates with all constitutionally mandated agencies to ensure a corruption-free country.
The Unit also acts as a link between H.E. the President, citizens, and Anti- Corruption agencies in relation to Anti-Corruption issues.