LAND GRAB STORM! Ex-UPA Rebel Eregu Accused Of Plot To Swipe 7 Acres Of Amuria Gov’t Land, Residents Appeal To Minister Balaam To Intervene
-Shocking Petition Alleges Sh300k Weekly Bribe Offer, Sh10m Court Inducement Claim, Market Arson, Forged Court Orders & Questionable Sh20m Bond
-Amuria Officials Seek Urgent Judicial Probe, Transfer Of Land And Arson Cases; Residents Appeal To Minister Balaam To Intervene
By Pepper Intelligence Unit
AMURIA — A fierce land ownership battle in Amuria District has escalated into a major accountability storm, with district and subcounty officials accusing former Willa Subcounty district councillor Opolot Peter Eregu of allegedly manoeuvring to take over approximately seven acres of government land at Akisim Parish.
Two petitions submitted by Amuria District Local Government and Willa Subcounty Local Government paint a disturbing picture of a protracted dispute involving an allegedly illegal market, claims of bribery, a suspected arson attack, alleged forgery of court documents and complaints of questionable handling of related court proceedings.
The officials have now asked the Deputy Registrar of Soroti High Court to intervene, recall the contested files from the Katakwi-Amuria magisterial area and reallocate them to other judicial officers, citing what they describe as a breakdown of public confidence in the handling of the cases.
The latest petition, dated October 27, 2026, names Grade One Magistrate Nakoko Isaac and Chief Magistrate Epobu Daniel in complaints of alleged judicial misconduct, bias and procedural irregularities.
The allegations have not been established by an independent investigation or a final judicial finding. The magistrates and Eregu are entitled to respond to the claims, and the allegations require investigation by the competent authorities.
But the documents submitted by the local governments raise serious questions about the management of public land, the safety of market vendors, the protection of government land and revenue and the administration of justice in the area.
Residents affected by the dispute are also appealing to Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara to intervene, arguing that the conflict has disrupted business and heightened insecurity in their community.
SEVEN ACRES IN THE EYE OF THE STORM
According to a September 7, 2026 petition, Willa Subcounty has government land in all its five parishes, but the Amuria local government officials say the disputed land at Akisim Parish is the only location where serious contestation and alleged encroachment have arisen.
The letter identifies Eregu and Vincent Ebulu as the two individuals accused by the local government of attempting to take over approximately seven acres through what officials describe as trickery, corruption and deceit.
The dispute dates back to 2021, when Eregu, a resident of Akisim Parish and a former district councillor for Willa Subcounty, allegedly began operating a market near his home after losing his re-election bid.
According to the local government’s account, the market was operating without authorisation, without the issuance of official government receipts and without inspection by the subcounty authorities.
At the time, Willa Subcounty already had a weekly market at Atuktuk Trading Centre, near the subcounty headquarters, operating on Thursdays.
Officials say they initially sought to resolve the matter amicably, asking Eregu to stop allegedly collecting government revenue without council approval.
However, the dispute was eventually tabled before the subcounty council on April 12, 2021, under Minute 7/4/2021, a meeting Eregu reportedly attended.
The council resolved that a market should instead be established on available government land in Akisim Parish, bordering Eregu’s land to the east.
It also recommended relocating the Atuktuk weekly market to Akisim because the existing market was largely operating along the roadside, raising traffic and safety concerns.
During the same meeting, Eregu reportedly told councillors that some individuals had encroached on his alleged land. The council consequently recommended that funds be provided to open the boundaries and process a title for the government property.
The local government says the boundary-opening exercise was conducted in October 2021 in the presence of Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Wamono, then Resident District Commissioner Lillian Iyal, then District Police Commander Muyamba, the District Internal Security Officer and other officials.
Those present reportedly included Michael Erigu, identified in the letter as Eregu’s uncle, and George Egadu, a retired parish chief.
The subcounty subsequently engaged the Area Land Committee, which issued a 14-day notice before proceeding with the demarcation exercise after the notice period expired without an objection to the exercise.
The boundaries were marked in the presence of neighbours and members of the Akisim community, with the letter referring to sisal plants marking the demarcation.
But instead of the dispute ending there, the local government says Eregu and Ebulu jointly filed Civil Suit No. 10 of 2021 against Willa Subcounty and Amuria District Local Government, obtaining an injunction that halted the government’s land-titling process.
INJUNCTION, LAND SALE AND FIVE YEARS OF COURT BATTLES
The petition alleges that immediately after obtaining the injunction, Eregu sold part of the disputed land to Lawrence Areu, another resident of Akisim Parish.
The local government says it raised the alleged sale in open court but claims the court did not intervene.
Officials further accuse Eregu and Ebulu (the plaintiffs) of repeatedly seeking adjournments instead of pursuing the main case to conclusion, while continuing to collect revenue from the market they say had been taken over without authorisation.
The Amuria local government officials allege that the dispute has dragged on for years, leaving the ownership and administration of the government land unresolved.
On February 6, 2024, the local government says it wrote to Magistrate Nakoko Isaac, expressing concern about delays and requesting an expedited hearing because some of its witnesses were elderly.
According to the September 7 letter, the request was ignored.
The subcounty had also opened a criminal file at Amuria Central Police Station over the alleged illegal collection of government revenue, recorded as SD39/22/02/2022.
Officials say the prosecutor sanctioned the file, Eregu was arrested and taken to court, but the court allegedly refused to allow some subcounty witnesses to testify before acquitting him.
The local government claims the acquittal enabled the disputed market operations to continue.
Officials further claim that court attendance dates sometimes fell on Thursdays, when the market operated, and suggest that market proceeds may have been used to facilitate the plaintiffs’ lawyer travelling from Lira.
The dispute reached another turning point on February 19, 2026, when Eregu and Ebulu (the plaintiffs) and their lawyer reportedly failed to appear for the hearing of Civil Suit No. 10 of 2021.
The Attorney General, representing the government side, protested against what the officials describe as deliberate delays.
The court subsequently dismissed the case and awarded costs to the local government, according to the September petition.
Armed with the dismissal order, the Amuria District local government officials say they took possession of the land and began reorganising the market.
Deputy Resident District Commissioner Jacob Jonga reportedly addressed residents, urging them to remain peaceful and continue conducting business without fear.
The subcounty also established a task force of 10 LC I chairpersons, supported by the Akisim Parish Chief, to oversee market operations and assess its performance. Radio announcements were made to inform the public about the new arrangements.
However, the officials’ account alleges that the conflict soon turned violent.
MARKET KIOSKS BURNT IN NIGHT ATTACK
The September petition states that on the night of April 1, 2026, market stalls and kiosks were burnt down in what the local government describes as an arson attack.
The officials accuse Eregu and his alleged accomplices of involvement in the incident, but the claims have not been established by a final criminal finding.
The letter identifies Ecelu Opolot Vincent, a resident of Akum Parish, as a person who was allegedly seen by a community member that night in possession of a firearm and in the company of Eregu, Ebulu Vincent and Joseph Olaun.
The document further describes Ecelu as a suspected former Uganda People’s Army (UPA) rebel and member of the Arrow Militia.
According to the petition, police were alerted after the incident was reported at Willa Police Post.
Officers from Amuria Central Police Station reportedly deployed a police canine to the scene. The officials say the dog tracked towards the homes of Eregu and Ebulu, who they claim had fled with their families that night.
The local government cites the alleged flight, the canine operation and eyewitness accounts as grounds for its suspicions.
The suspects were reportedly sought for several months. The September letter says Olaun Joseph was arrested on July 19, 2026, after nearly four months of a police manhunt and was subsequently released on bail.
The same letter states that Ecelu remained at large at the time it was written.
The October 27 petition separately refers to the arson proceedings as Criminal Case No. CRB 245 of 2026, while the September letter cites other police and criminal file references in connection with the alleged forgery and revenue-collection matters.
The various file numbers relate to proceedings that the local government wants reviewed or transferred.
SH10M BRIBERY CLAIM
Perhaps the most explosive allegation concerns a reported demand for Sh10m to facilitate the reinstatement of the land case.
It is alleged that a court official had demanded Sh10m to reinstate the dismissed land case, according to the information relayed to the local government.
The officials further allege that a court official had assured Eregu that he would recover his money through a favourable judgment and an award of costs against the subcounty and district local government.
These are serious allegations of possible corruption, but the petition does not establish that money changed hands or independently prove that the alleged demand occurred.
The issue reportedly resurfaced at a District Security Committee meeting on July 14, 2026, attended by the Resident District Commissioner, Deputy RDC, District Police Commander, District Internal Security Officer, deputy DISO, CIID representatives, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, the officer in charge of the police station and other district officials.
According to the petition, Otai directly confronted a court official with the allegation that he had demanded Sh10m to reinstate the case.
The September letter says the court official neither admitted nor denied the accusation.
The October 27 petition repeats the complaint, alleging that the court official remained silent when the accusation was raised.
That reported silence, on its own, does not establish guilt. The petitioners want the matter investigated as part of a wider examination of the handling of the land dispute.
SH200,000–SH300,000 WEEKLY OFFER ALLEGED
The local government also alleges that an offer was made to the Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officer.
The administrative officer claims that she was approached in her office and offered between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000 per week if she abandoned the legal proceedings.
The administrative officer says she rejected the offer and advised those concerned to pursue their matters through lawful means rather than attempting to bribe public officials.
The petitioners want the alleged solicitation of land, bribery claims and conduct of court official investigated by the appropriate authorities.
MAGISTRATE ACCUSED OF SIDING WITH LAND CLAIMANT
The September petition further alleges that the handling of the reinstatement application raised concerns about procedural fairness.
According to the local government, Isaac Nakoko initially directed the parties to make oral submissions, saying written submissions would delay the matter and that he wanted to hear and conclude it within two weeks.
However, when the parties appeared with the Attorney General ready to proceed, the plaintiffs’ lawyer reportedly said he was not ready for oral submissions and instead had written submissions.
The petitioners claim the magistrate reversed his earlier directions to accommodate the plaintiffs’ lawyer and gave the government side two weeks to respond.
On June 25, 2026, the magistrate reinstated the dismissed suit through a ruling in Reinstatement Application No. 01/2026.
The local government alleges that the magistrate delivered the ruling without properly canvassing or considering the Attorney General’s submissions.
The October 27 petition repeats that complaint, arguing that the decision effectively locked the State out of the record.
The officials acknowledge that courts have discretion to reinstate dismissed cases but question the circumstances in which the decision was made.
They also argue that the plaintiffs and their lawyer continued to benefit from procedural flexibility, including what the petition describes as last-minute service of submissions that denied the Attorney General adequate time to respond.
The officials say the alleged pattern has undermined confidence in the fairness of the proceedings.
The local government says that when the parties appeared on August 27, 2026, for directions in the land case, the magistrate set fresh timelines extending the matter to October 29, 2026, for mention and scheduling.
This was despite what officials describe as earlier assurances that the case would be concluded within a month or two.
DISPUTED INJUNCTION BECOMES ANOTHER BATTLEFRONT
The two petitions also raise a technical but crucial legal dispute over whether a temporary injunction survived the dismissal and subsequent reinstatement of the main land case.
The Amuria Local Government argues that the injunction ceased to have legal effect when the main suit was dismissed on February 19, 2026.
In support of its position, the October petition cites Galloway v. German [1922] 1 ULR 353 and Sardar Mohamed v. Charanjit Singh Attwal [1976] EA 41.
The petitioners contend that interim orders are dependent on the existence of a live suit and that reinstating a dismissed case does not automatically revive an injunction that had already lapsed.
They argue that a separate, explicit order would be required to restore such an injunction.
According to the petition, the June 25 ruling reinstated the main suit for hearing on its merits but did not expressly revive the previous interim orders.
The officials therefore maintain that the earlier injunction remained legally dead.
Nevertheless, they allege that on July 7, 2026, Nakoko extracted an order that the local government says he had not reinstated and continued to entertain contempt applications against government officials on the basis of the disputed injunction.
The petitioners describe this as a misuse of legal process that has been used to intimidate civil servants and obstruct the management of government property.
They also allege that a separate court document was forged and pinned on trees around Akisim Market and Trading Centre at night.
The September letter says the administrative officer showed a copy of the allegedly forged document to the magistrate during the July 14 security meeting, but he reportedly denied issuing such an order.
The local government says it subsequently reported suspected forgery of a court document under a file cited in the letter as Criminal Case No. 36/17/07/2026 at Amuria Central Police Station.
The October petition also refers to the disputed order and the alleged use of non-existent or inactive court orders to threaten officials.
The forgery allegations have not been established by a final finding, and the relevant police and court records would be needed to determine the document’s authenticity and legal status.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARREST EREGU
The September petition also describes a dramatic turn in the manhunt.
On August 27, 2026, community members reportedly apprehended Eregu in the market arson case and handed him over to Deputy RDC Jacob Jonga and police.
The letter says District Police Commander Peter Oyesigye swiftly dispatched a police 999 pickup truck to transport Eregu to Amuria Central Police Station to prevent an angry crowd from lynching him.
The incident illustrates the level of tension surrounding the land dispute, according to the local government.
The officials say the case has strained the already limited resources of Willa Subcounty, diverting attention and money from service delivery.
CHIEF MAGISTRATE UNDER FIRE OVER SH20M BOND
The latest petition widens the controversy to Chief Magistrate Epobu Daniel, whose handling of the related arson proceedings is challenged by the local government.
According to the October 27 petition, Eregu was brought before the chief magistrate on September 3, 2026, for plea-taking in connection with the arson case after allegedly evading a police manhunt for about four months.
The petitioners allege that the chief magistrate failed to read the charges and their particulars to the accused and that no formal plea was taken.
They further claim that the State Prosecutor protested, urging the court to follow the required procedure given the seriousness of the arson allegations.
Instead, the petition alleges, the chief magistrate addressed Eregu directly and granted him a non-cash court bail of Sh20m without an application for bail being made orally or in writing.
The officials say court rose at approximately 6:00pm, leaving them uncertain about the charge formally entered on the record and whether the accused had pleaded guilty or not guilty.
The petitioners cite the seriousness of the alleged arson offence, arguing that the maximum penalty under the applicable Penal Code provision is life imprisonment.
The allegation that the court failed to follow proper procedure is a complaint by the petitioners and requires examination against the official court record.
The local government also alleges that the chief magistrate ordered it to produce all seven prosecution witnesses, including three police officers, on September 10, 2026, so that the trial could be concluded in a single day.
Officials say they complied, incurring logistical expenses to bring all seven witnesses to court.
But, according to the petition, the chief magistrate did not appear to preside over the scheduled hearing.
The petition claims court clerks instead handled the proceedings and adjourned the matter to October 29, 2026.
The petitioners say neither Eregu nor co-accused Joseph Olaun and their defence counsel appeared on the scheduled day, and no explanation for their absence was offered.
The State Prosecutor reportedly questioned why the accused persons were absent while the prosecution had brought its witnesses as directed.
The petitioners argue that the combination of the magistrate’s absence, the defence’s non-attendance and the resulting adjournment raises concerns about whether the proceedings were being handled impartially.
However, the circumstances surrounding the absence of the judicial officer and the accused persons would need to be independently established before any conclusion about collusion could be reached.
OFFICIALS FEAR ANOTHER SUMMARY ACQUITTAL
The local government says its concerns are reinforced by the earlier prosecution over the alleged illegal collection of government revenue.
According to the September letter, the court ordered the subcounty to bring its witnesses but subsequently refused to hear some of them before acquitting Eregu.
The petitioners fear that the handling of the land case and the arson proceedings could result in further adverse decisions before all the relevant evidence is heard.
They also complain that the land dispute, which they say has been running since 2021, remains unresolved while applications filed by the plaintiffs have sometimes been handled more quickly.
The October petition describes the alleged treatment of the State’s submissions and witnesses as part of a pattern that warrants scrutiny.
The petitioners are not asking the Deputy Registrar to determine Eregu’s criminal guilt through an administrative complaint. They want the court files reviewed, the cases transferred and the conduct of the judicial officers investigated by the appropriate authorities.
The complaints concerning the chief magistrate and the Grade One magistrate are separate from the question of whether the accused persons committed the alleged offences.
PDM BENEFICIARIES CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
Beyond the legal wrangling, the local government says the dispute has taken a heavy toll on ordinary residents whose livelihoods depend on the market.
The September letter says Akisim Parish Chief Mary Adimo reported that Eregu sympathizers have been laying ambush from nearby bushes at night to threaten livestock traders and vendors arriving early to set up their businesses.
The officials say some traders have consequently stopped using the market, disrupting commercial activities and raising fears about the safety of vendors and their merchandise.
The local government argues that the insecurity has particularly affected residents benefiting from the Parish Development Model (PDM), whose efforts to engage in trade and escape poverty depend on a secure environment.
The petition alleges that the threats, burning of market stalls and disputed court orders have left residents uncertain about whether they can conduct business safely.
Officials further claim that residents have questioned why people involved in the arrest of suspects should fear retaliation after the suspects are released.
The September letter says six community members who helped apprehend Eregu subsequently expressed fear after his release. One of them has reportedly fled to Moroto.
The document also identifies Josephine Apio, a resident of Akum Parish, as a person who reported alleged threats to her life after supposedly disclosing information about Ecelu’s firearm.
The local government says it took Apio to the RDC’s office to report the matter.
At the time of the September letter, officials said Ecelu remained at large. They further reported receiving information that he had resurfaced at his home in Agalibu village, Akum Parish, following the release of fellow suspects.
These claims remain allegations and should be investigated by police, particularly given the reported threats against witnesses and residents.
BALAAM URGED TO INTERVENE
With the land dispute now involving allegations of bribery, suspected arson, alleged document forgery and complaints about judicial conduct, residents are appealing to Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara to help draw attention to the crisis.
Their appeal is for intervention through the relevant government institutions so that the complaints can be investigated, public property protected and residents allowed to trade without fear.
The request does not mean the minister can determine ownership of the land or direct the outcome of pending judicial proceedings. The dispute must be resolved through lawful processes, while allegations of criminal conduct and judicial misconduct should be referred to the competent investigative and disciplinary authorities.
For residents, the immediate concerns are security, the restoration of market activity and clarity over the status of the government land.
For the local government, the central question is whether the disputed property can be protected while the legal battle proceeds without intimidation or procedural unfairness.
PETITION TO SOROTI HIGH COURT
In the October 27, 2026 petition, the Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, writing on behalf of Amuria District Local Government and Willa Subcounty Local Government, asks the Deputy Registrar of Soroti High Court to exercise administrative and supervisory powers over the subordinate courts in the Soroti Circuit.
The petition seeks four principal remedies:
- Recall of the land case: Civil Suit No. 10 of 2021, together with its related miscellaneous applications, should be removed from the Amuria Grade One Magistrate’s Court.
- Recall of the criminal files: The arson proceedings identified as CRB 245/2026 and connected criminal files should be removed from the Katakwi-Amuria Chief Magistrate’s Court.
- Transfer to another judicial officer: The matters should be allocated to neutral judicial officers with competent jurisdiction, either at the High Court Land Division or in another magisterial area outside Katakwi-Amuria.
- Administrative investigation: The ethical conduct of Magistrate Nakoko Isaac and Chief Magistrate Epobu Daniel in handling the cases should be investigated.
The petition has also been copied to the Inspector of Courts in Kampala, the Judicial Service Commission, the Amuria Resident District Commissioner, the Office of the Attorney General in Soroti, the Amuria Chief Administrative Officer and the District Police Commander.
In the earlier September 7 letter, the Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officer had requested administrative support or assistance in filing recusal applications against both judicial officers before the next scheduled arson hearing.
The October petition renews the call for intervention, arguing that the combination of alleged off-record threats, disputed orders, complaints about plea-taking and bail, and the handling of witnesses has undermined confidence in the proceedings.
The petitioners insist that their objective is to safeguard government property, protect public revenue and ensure that the disputed cases are handled by impartial judicial officers.
The allegations now place the spotlight on the institutions responsible for protecting public land, investigating suspected criminal conduct and ensuring that court proceedings are fair and transparent.
The decisive next steps are an independent examination of the petition’s claims, verification of the relevant court records, and appropriate responses from the named parties.
Until those processes establish the facts, the allegations against Eregu and the two judicial officers remain allegations—not findings of guilt or misconduct.
Eregu has also been contacted for a comment.
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