City businessman charged over Madhvani land title fraud

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Fred Kirenga, a businessman based in Naguru, Nakawa Division in Kampala, has become the latest suspect to be charged before the Anti-Corruption Court over the fraudulent acquisition of a certificate of title for land belonging to the Madhvani Group Ltd.

Kirenga appeared in court on Thursday, July 3, 2025, following his arrest by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). He has been remanded until July 8, 2025.

Kirenga joins a growing list of suspects, including the acting commissioner of surveys and mapping, Jasper Kakooza; the deputy resident district commissioner (RDC) of Gomba, Vincent Mugenyi; and nine others who were previously charged in relation to the fraudulent creation of titles for land belonging to the Madhvani Group Ltd, specifically on FRV 60 Folio 4 in Gomba.

The State alleges that on June 15, 2020, in Gomba district, Kirenga and his co-accused fraudulently obtained registration of a freehold certificate of title for Block 311, Plots 36 and 37 in their names, despite being aware that another title for the same land already existed.

The accused are facing charges of abuse of office contrary to Section 11(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act; forgery contrary to Sections 319 and 322(a) of the Penal Code Act; and fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title contrary to Section 174 of the Registration of Titles Act. All accused have denied the charges.

The offence of abuse of office carries a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment, while forgery and fraudulent procurement of title each carry a maximum sentence of three years.

According to the prosecution, the accused conspired to create an overlapping title on land measuring approximately 1,454 acres, belonging to Madhvani Group Ltd in Gomba District. They allegedly conducted a boundary opening and took possession of 600 acres, destroying tea plantations and over 540 acres of natural forest in the process.

Kakooza is accused of authoring and signing a letter on behalf of the Ministry of Lands’ Permanent Secretary, falsely claiming that the land under Grant No. 8286 was a lease that expired in 2008 and had reverted to the Government, whereas the land was, in fact, freehold under FRV 60 Folio 4, Gomba, owned by Madhvani.

His actions, according to the prosecution, were prejudicial to the interests of his employer, the Ministry of Lands. These offences allegedly occurred on May 22, 2013, at the ministry’s offices in Kampala.

The prosecution further alleges that Nicodemus Sitenda Mugalu, on November 10, 2016, at the Mpigi Land Office, abused his authority as a cartographer by irregularly plotting Plots 32, 33, 34, 36, and 37 at Musongole, Gomba district, overlapping existing land comprised in FRV 60 Folio 4.

Mugalu and Mugenyi are also accused of forging applications to convert land from customary to freehold tenure to facilitate registration of freehold titles for Block 31, Plots 32 and 34 at Mpogo in the names of Godfrey Bwire, Jackie Nabayego, Catherine Nasasira, and Francis Birungi between 2016 and 2017.

On May 7, six of the suspects accused of double titling and fraudulently procuring land titles were released on bail under various conditions.

Kakooza and businessman Allan Nuwahereza Katakanya were granted cash bail of sh10 million, with their sureties ordered to execute a non-cash bond of sh50 million.

Others granted bail included Mugalu (Mpigi district physical planner), Hakim Bassajangabo (Gomba district senior assistant secretary), and Gladys Nakanwagi (Gomba District labour officer), each released on sh5 million cash bail. Hajji Ismail Kayongo, the former chairperson of the Gomba District Land Board, was granted bail of sh3 million.