KAMPALA, Uganda — Former Bukooli North Member of Parliament Gaster Kyawa Mugoya has been ordered by the High Court to pay over Shs 400 million in damages, interest and legal costs after being found liable in a long-running land fraud case.
In a ruling delivered by the High Court (Commercial Division), the court found that Mugoya unlawfully sold land in Kampala despite having no legal ownership rights, resulting in financial loss and prolonged legal battles for the buyer.
The disputed property, Kibuga Block 10 Plot 584 in Bukesa–Namirembe, was sold in 2007 for Shs 300 million. However, the court established that Mugoya, acting in collusion with others, fraudulently procured a special certificate of title after falsely declaring that the original duplicate title had been lost.
Justice Stephen Mubiru ordered Mugoya to pay Shs 327.4 million in special damages with 20 percent annual interest, Shs 65 million in general damages with 8 percent interest, and full legal costs — pushing the total financial liability beyond Shs 400 million.
In its judgment, the court noted that Mugoya’s later attempt to refund the purchase price was an admission of wrongdoing and did not absolve him of responsibility for the losses, inconvenience and legal expenses suffered by the buyer.
The buyer, a Kampala-based businessman, later lost the title after courts ruled that Mugoya had no proprietary interest in the land. The ruling follows years of litigation that moved through multiple courts before reaching final determination.
Mugoya, a former chief magistrate who later entered elective politics, was dismissed from the judiciary in 2008 before serving as a Member of Parliament. The case has renewed public debate on land fraud, abuse of office, and accountability of former public officials.
Legal analysts say the judgment sends a strong signal that courts are increasingly willing to impose heavy financial penalties in land fraud cases, particularly where abuse of trust and false declarations are involved.
The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications as Uganda continues to grapple with widespread land disputes and fraudulent transactions across the country.
