The crackdown on land-related corruption has netted a high-profile figure, with Nicodemus Sitenda Mugalu, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Gomba District, formally charged and remanded to prison until June 5, 2025. He faces multiple charges, including abuse of office, forgery, and fraudulent land dealings.
Mugalu appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court earlier today, following his arrest by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in coordination with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The court denied him bail and ordered his immediate remand.
The charges stem from a broader land fraud scheme involving the illegal creation of land titles over property already owned by Madhvani Group Ltd a major player in Uganda’s agricultural and industrial sectors. Prosecutors allege that between 2016 and 2017, while serving as a cartographer at the Mpigi District Lands Office, Mugalu colluded with ten others, including Acting Commissioner for Mapping and Surveys Kakooza Jasper, to forge land documents.
According to the prosecution, Mugalu played a central role in superimposing fraudulent land plots over an existing title registered as File Reference Volume 60 Folio 4 in Gomba District. He is further accused of fabricating applications to convert customary land into freehold, using these forged documents to generate fraudulent land titles in the names of various individuals.
The scheme effectively stripped ownership from Madhvani Group, undermining both private property rights and public trust in Uganda’s land administration systems. Given Madhvani’s stature in the business community, the case has raised serious concerns about the security of land ownership and the risk such fraud poses to investor confidence.
Authorities say the case is far from closed, with investigations ongoing and more arrests expected. Prosecutors claim to possess substantial evidence linking the accused to the fraudulent operation.
For now, Mugalu remains in custody as the legal process unfolds. The case has drawn nationwide attention, seen by many as a critical test of Uganda’s commitment to tackling entrenched corruption and protecting landowners’ rights.
