KAMPALA — A multimillion-dollar land deal, a disputed title and a 99-year lease over a prime Kome Island estate have triggered a police investigation into property valued at Shs40 billion and linked to the late businessman Dr James Musinguzi Garuga.
At the heart of the controversy is how 296.74 hectares registered in the deceased businessman’s name ended up under a lease granted to a British-linked company for more than US$3.2 million with his customary heir saying that the transaction was carried out without his consent.
Police have now summoned city lawyer Agaba Maguru, Widow Peace Kesiime Bagorogoza and three other individuals to explain their roles in the disputed dealings setting the stage for a probe into the ownership of the estate, the validity of the lease and whether the multimillion-dollar payment was ever made.
The investigation follows a complaint by Musinguzi Carl Alwyn Garuga, the deceased’s son, who reported that Mani Stephen was unlawfully registered as proprietor of the land before leasing it to Erunger Property Limited for 99 years.The five individuals have been directed to report to the Land Police Protection Unit in Makindye on October 30, 2026, with documents relating to the property.
The land, identified as Block 516, Plot 12 is situated at Busanga, Kome Island, Kyaggwe County, Mukono District and measures approximately 296.74 hectares.The summons directs Bagorogoza and others to report to Head Squad 01, led by D/SP Josephine Alupo alongside IP Etiang and D/CPL Lambert Engwenu for further guidance and statement recording.
Records relating to the disputed land reveal a lease agreement between Mani Stephen, identified as the lessor and Erunger Property Limited, a company whose address is given as 40 Don Street, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 4TR.
Erunger is also a company in Entebbe dealing in fuel business and is owned by British nationals.The agreement prepared by Agaba Maguru’s law firm describes the property as approximately 296.74 hectares under Block 516, Plot 12, at Busanga, Kome Island, Kyaggwe, Mukono District.
According to the document, Mani Stephen presents himself as the registered proprietor of the land and grants Erunger Property Limited a lease for 99 years commencing on December 17, 2024.The stated premium is US$3,298,365, equivalent to more than US$3.2 million, while the annual ground rent is listed at just US$135 which the agreement says would not be revised during the lease term.
Documents obtained by this newspaper indicate that the registered owner of the land at that time was Dr. James Musinguzi Garuga.Clause (a) of the agreement provides that the premium and ground rent for the 99-year period, stated as US$3,298,500 in total would be paid in a lump sum.
It further records an acknowledgment by the lessor (Mani Stephen) that payment had been received upon signing.The lease contains provisions granting Erunger Property Limited extensive rights over the property.Under the agreement, the company may use the land for purposes it considers appropriate including residential development, commercial activities and farming.
It is also permitted to erect residential or commercial buildings and other structures it considers necessary.Another clause allows the lessee (Erunger) to transfer, sublet, mortgage or assign the land and properties on it or any part thereof without obtaining the lessor’s (Mani Stephen) consent.
Mani Stephen as lessor undertakes to allow the company to occupy and use the land peacefully without interference by him or persons claiming through him.It adds that the lessor or persons deriving title from him shall not withhold consent to renewal.The agreement assigns the lessor responsibility for taxes and registration fees incidental to creating the lease title while other provisions place certain rates, taxes and charges on the lessee.
Police says it is going to scrutinize and examine the circumstances under which the lease was prepared, executed and presented for registration by Agaba Maguru and Mani StephenAlwyn Carl Musinguzi the customary heir of Late Garuga says Kesiime and Agaba Maguru conspired and sold the land behind his late father’s back and believes such case involving huge millions of dollars could be the reason why Dr James Garuga may have lost his life under unclear circumstances after he was blocked from accessing medical treatment abroad at the request of his personal medical doctors in the UK.
According to Alwny, in January 2025, Dr James Garuga got wind of Maguru and Kesiime’s suspicious transactions on his land and even put a lot of pressure on Maguru who was also his company secretary to write to the local chairperson of the area where the land is located to inform him that the land belonged to himself, James Dr Garuga not any other person.
On the instructions of Dr James Garuga, Agaba Maguru on January 9, 2025 wrote to the LCI chairman Busanga Village, Kome Island confirming that the land indeed belonged to Dr. Garuga.Maguru also introduced one Amon Akatuhurira and Kayoole who Garuga had dispatched there to open the boundaries of his land. Alwyn Garuga now wants to know how a one Mani Stephen who was not even close to the late businessman came to lease his father’s land that doesn’t belong to him for $ 3.2m to British nationals for 99 years.
He also maintains that even there is no evidence that the said money was paid by Erunger property company to Mani Stephen and his group.Alwyn says the land which is fully planted with pine trees is estimated at about shs 40 billion.
He also accuses his brother Johnny Nobert Musinguzi and another official from anti corruption court of calling and threatening investigating officers to stay away from investigating the case and having Peace Kesiime Bagorogoza statement recorded at police on Friday 30th October 2026.
