Former Operations Wembley boss Major General Elly Kayanja is cursing like hell after High Court Civil Division ordered him to pay businessman, Gerald Batte Shillings 255 million arising from a bogus land deal.
The orders were issued by Justice Lydia Mugambe on Wednesday June, 10, 2020 in her judgment on an application filed by Batte against Gen. Kayanja.
In his application, Batte explained that he bought 11 acres of the land in Matuga Kyadondo comprising block 91 plot 3 at Matuga in Kyadondo on March 19th 2018 at Shillings 920 million. According to Batte, he paid an installment of Shillings 200 million and promised to complete payment once he successfully surveys the land and opens its boundaries.
He also said they agreed with Kayanja to refund the money should there be any third parties challenging the land transaction. Batte explained that when he commenced the survey process, third parties showed up claiming they have interested on the land and have since made impossible for him to survey it and take full possession.
Court further heard that on May 14th 2018, Kayanja’s lawyers of M/S Kayanja and Company Advocates requested for a month to settle Batte’s claims in vain. In her judgment, Justice Lydia Mugambe said there is evidence that Kayanja acknowledged receipt of the money in question.
She there directed Gen. Kayanja to refund the money and pay Batte an additional Shillings 30 million as compensation for the inconveniences caused to him, hiring brokers, Andy’s Machinery Services Limited to subdivide the said land and open its boundaries.
She also awarded Batte Shillings 25 million as general damages to cater for the embarrassment caused to him. The money will attract 25 percent interest per annum effective March 2018 up to when full payment is made.
This is not the first time Gen. Kayanja is sited in land grabbing, in April 2018, he was accused by the Mpologoma Clan for grabbing and selling their cultural land which accommodates their cultural (Buganda) heritage.
The land which the Brig took over from Wasaka having been originally in the names of Kago J. M is at Luwadda in Matugga. It used to be the main palace of Buganda King Kintu.
According to the chairman of the Mpologoma clan Amb, Prof Badru Kateregga the land in Buganda for various clans was titled in the names of the clans heads but their clan head was in exile for some reason and ended up put in the names of Kago which was later taken over by Wasaka who later left it to Brig Kayanja.
Amb. Kateregga said that out of the land measuring 1 square mile, they only remained with headquarters of about two acres.
