The Archdiocese of Tororo has come out on how they owned the embattled land which is based in Busia in the court as they try to reclaim it on behalf of the trustees of the Archdiocese of Tororo.
According to the secretary Archdiocese of Tororo land board Rev Fr Centurio Olaboro narrates how the church came to own the land in contention with prominent people who were duped and bought a tittled land like Okware John the CEO of Eastern Rice.
Rev Fr Olaboro states this land was bought by the late legislator George Alex Wejuli from the Uganda Land Commission, who surveyed it and titled it in 1977.
The late George Alex Wejuli was a member of Parliament representing Samia Bugwe south he passed on the said land to his children as their inheritance this was Harnold Wejuli and Fidelis Wejuli to whom they transferred their father’s property to their own names in the title deed the whole parcel of land being 489.22 hectares Folio No HRV 1204 FOLIO 1 BLOCK 8 PLOT 20 SAMIA BUGWE.
However, later on, the two sons of the late Legislature resorted to selling this parcel of land to the Tororo diocese by then according to the church the bishop of the diocese was the custodian of all properties unlike today the church has established a body known as as the registered trustees of the Archdiocese of Tororo.
This body can be sued and can sue in the church’s wisdom this was to reduce the number of transfers of names of individual bishops who were to appear in the title deed of the church but also to save the Catholic believers from footing into their resources to secure properties whenever there is a change of bishop or if any other eventuality occurs such as death.
On 1 August 1994, Harnold Wejuli and Fidelis Wejuli sold their land to Tororo diocese under the leadership of Bishop Rt Rev James Odongo
Witnessed by the current bishop of Jinja diocese Rt Rev Charlce Wamika who by then was the vicar general and Rev Fr Omodoi Hippotus.
As time went by and there were changes in the church custodianship of property rules the Rt Rev Bishop James Odongo 2017 transferred the land with a measurement of 489.22 hectares Folio No HRV 1204 Folio 1 Block 8 plot 20 Samia Bugwe to the trustees of the Archdiocese of Tororo who from then became the custodians of the said land.
However, in 2016, the church got information from its caretaker that a gentleman identified as Okware John Martin had a title obtained under freehold registration inside the church’s already titled land under reference number FRVHQT 1180 FOLIO 21 Samia Bugwe Block 8 Plot 470 Samia Bugwe.
Alfred Obore the Tororo Archdiocese land board chairperson said this has been a very disturbing situation in the church asking how one can obtain a title inside a titled land which the lease has not expired
Obore claims John Okware went ahead to the microfinance support centre and picked a 2 Ugx billion loan which he hasn’t refunded in the land of the church Currently they are in court but he says John Okware has not disputed the land belonged to the late wejule and sons.
He adds the church has its original documents and nothing has been tampered with he says they are focused and hope to get justice in court no matter how long it takes someday the truth will be justified for all to see since the church we are praying for justice to prevail.
What unfolds next
In relation to the same matter, John Okware the managing director of Eastern Rice ran to the high court to secure a temporary injunction on 31 July 2023 seeking a temporary injunction.
The first respondent is Rev Fr Centurio Olaboro, and the second respondent is the registered trustees of the Archdiocese of Tororo over FRVHQT 11,80 FOLIO 21 Samia Bugwe Block 8 Plot 470.
Dorine Ajuna the acting assistant registerer granted Okware John of Eastern Rice a temporary injunction
However, on the other side, John Okware ran to court to seek
a permanent injunction.
Attacheched Evidence copy of the title deed that shows the Archdiocese of Tororo bought the land from the sons of the former member of Parliament of Samia Bugwe south
