By Witness Radio team
Mafumu Paul, a man recently arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and charged with three counts by the Mubende Magistrate Court, has sued a group of community women land rights defenders based in Nalyankanja village in Mubende district for trespassing on their land.
Mafumu was charged with malicious damage, theft, and conspiracy to commit a felony. His accomplices, Ssenyondo Ronald, and Seruyange Sulaiman were charged with malicious damage. The trio got released on bail.
In what is seen as a retaliation to those who fight for their land, the community women’s land rights defenders were summoned by the same court, which charged their evictor (Mafumu) to appear and file a defense concerning malicious damage and trespass Under Civil Suit No. 47 of 2023.
“One of the defenders was unable to attend court on the day of the summons because this was rushed and found us unprepared financially. We requested an extension from the court, but this was impossible.” Nannyonjo reiterated.
The community defenders sued include; Mrs. Nanyonjo Sarah and Nalubega Grace.
In a court sitting, the plaintiff (Mafumu) sought to add the two defenders to a lawsuit he filed in 2022.
The first and second defenders on a case filed in 2022 are Mr. Kyalimpa David and Kazibwe Sulaiman, while Nanyonjo Sarah and Nalubega Grace are the third and fourth defenders. All four are residents of Nalyankanja village, Kyenda Town Council in Mubende district.
Since 2018, Mafumu has disrupted the community with help from area police and local councils leading to arbitrary arrests and detention. According to community members, who preferred anonymity, Mafumu has so far grabbed 248 acres belonging to over 17 families.
It’s remembered that this same community in January lost acres of crops to Mr. Mafumu and his men when they sprayed them with unknown chemicals.
