Ibanda Grade One magistrate’s court had sentenced Godfrey Byarugaba to four months in prison for stealing bananas from his neighbour’s banana plantation valued at UGX 60,000.

Byarugaba, from Kyarukumba II, Igorora town council in Ibanda South County, was sentenced after he confessed to stealing a bunch of bananas from Godfrey Nuwajuna’s plantation after the victim had lost four bunches of bananas on the night of October 28.

Court presided over by her worship Esther Murungi heard from the convict that his family had not had food for days. His jail term was less by one year that the complainant Nuwajuna had prayed for.

The prosecution led by Tian Emmanuel had prayed for an appropriate sentence, saying the convict was a first time offender and that he had not wasted the court’s time.

Nuwajuna had told the court the banana thieves had left him counting losses as they were stealing almost all the mature bananas.

He was however happy that the convict was punished for the crime.

Byarugaba was however warned that if he steals again after release from prison, the offence will earn him the maximum sentence (10 years).

Ibanda Grade One magistrate’s court had sentenced a 41-year-old man to 23 months in prison for destroying his mother’s garden of beans and threatening to kill her last month.

Appearing before her worship Esther Murungi, Godwin Kananura, a resident of Nyakatookye I, Rugazi ward in Kagongo Division, Ibanda Municipality, pleaded guilty to the offence, begging his mother for forgiveness.

Kananura was arrested on October 25^th for destroying the old woman’s garden of beans and threatening to kill her.

Reports indicate that the convict had also chased his mother from her home and she was currently renting in the trading centre.

Fiona Kabashomi, the convict’s sister, said the RDC’s office had some time back intervened in the matter and ordered him to leave the house, but he refused. 

Her worship Murungi ordered Kananura to never return to his mother’s home when he leaves prison. She warned that he will get the maximum sentence if he returns and distresses his mother.

The magistrate advised him to use the time in jail to learn some skills as he prepares for life after prison.

The convict’s mother, Dativa Kahindi, 75, was satisfied with the sentence, saying she can now sleep without fearing of being attacked by her ungrateful son.

Livestock owners in Mbarara district have expressed disappointment over the unending livestock theft.

Officials and affected farmers in the district attributed the persistent livestock theft to lack of enforcement policies and enough security personnel.

The affected farmers argue that although Mbarara District security committee issued a ban on night movement and transportation of animals as measure to curb the vice, its enforcement has not been realized.

Emmy Katera Turyabagyenyi, the Resident District Commissioner Mbarara noted that the measure has been frustrated by the inadequate security personnel to patrol the entire District.

He added that they have intensified operations to curb down the vice and several suspects have been rounded up.

According to police records, from January to June this year, 400 cases of animal theft have been registered in the Rwizi policing region.

The Rwizi policing region covers the districts of Ibanda, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Kazo, Ntungamo, Rwampara and Mbarara city.

Ibanda Grade One magistrate’s court has sentenced a bar attendant to Nyabuhikye Prison for six months over stealing UGX 77,000 from her employer.

While appearing before Her Worship Esther Murungi, the accused, Patience Amutuhire, 21, confessed to stealing the money from the counter at Wilbroad Mutabaruka’s NK Bar in Kacwampare, Rugoba in Nyabuhikye sub-county, where she worked as a bar attendant.

Amutuhire claimed she stole the cash from the bar to take her sick mother to hospital.

According to prosecution led by Tian Emmanuel, Amutuhire stole the money belonging to Wilbroad Mutabaruka on the morning of October 9^th.

The convict told the court that she had hidden UGX 40,000 under a stone in the yard and UGX 37,000 in her bag. All the cash was recovered and returned to Mutabaruka.

Despite the defendant’s prayers for a deterrent punishment, the magistrate ignored the two months that the convict had prayed for noting that Amutuhire should be removed from the community and go where she can learn skills of self-reliance.

She advised the convict to embrace skills development programmes like handcraft making and weaving during her six-month jail term.

Theft contravenes sections 254(i) and 261 of the Penal Code Act and carries a maximum of 10 years on conviction.

Emyooga SACCOs of Journalists, people with disabilities (PWDs) in Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality have been mentioned as worst performing SACCOs under Emyooga program.

This was revealed by Robert Atuhairwe, the Bushenyi district RDC while speaking at the farewell party of Hope Christine Komujuni, the principal commercial officer Bushenyi Ishaka municipality who was promoted to Bushenyi district as the commercial officer.

During the function held at deacon organized by Emyooga Sacco leadership as way to appreciate Komujuni’s efforts towards formation and training of these SACCOs in the municipality, Atuhairwe noted that Emyooga program in Bushenyi Ishaka municipality is promising and performing well despite the challenge of defaulters.

Richard Byaruhanga, the mayor Bushenyi Ishaka municipality applauded the outgoing commercial officer for the efforts she put in to ensure that Emyooga program in the municipality moved a step as far as the money economy is concerned.

Byaruhanga asked beneficiaries to have mindset change on these funds saying most of the defaulters failed to pay due to negative mindset on money.

Hope Christine Komujuni revealed that she joined the municipality in 2020 and served diligently and will now be working as the district commercial officer following the retirement of David Byamukama.

Authorities in Kamwenge and Kitagwenda districts have failed to agree on the sharing of the Dura limestone quarry royalties with each claiming ownership of the quarry in contestation.

The disagreement follows an argument in which Kamwenge district is accused of taking 90% of the royalties which Kitagwenda opposed, saying it is unfair.

Since 2019, both districts have been in the claim of ownership of the quarry in question. The then minister for lands and mineral development, Sarah Opendi, who visited the site called on Hima cement factory to stay the payment of royalties to either districts until the issue of ownership is settled.

In 2021, the state minister of local government, Victoria Businge Rusoke, also intervened and ordered for fresh boundary opening of the quarry; however, both districts have since failed to raise the bill for the re-survey by the ministry of lands and since the matter has never settled.

In October 2023, Ismail Mushemeza, the Kitagwenda district LC V chairperson, wrote a letter to president Museveni seeking for his intervention into the conflict of the quarry in contestation. The president responded by asking the Minister Rusoke to convene a dialogue meeting and involve both parties to discuss the sharing of royalties pending a re-survey.

On Saturday last week, while in a dialogue meeting convened by Minister Rusoke at St. Joseph’s Inn in Fort Portal, both parties failed to agree on the sharing of royalties.

Mushemeza, argues that the district cannot accept to benefit from only 10% of the royalties because they are rightful owners of the quarry calling for another survey to establish its clear location.

Gerald Twebaze, the Kamwenge district speaker said that they cannot accept the sharing of the royalties because they have a clear report by the ministry of lands which highlights Kamwenge as the rightful owner of the quarry. He asked Kitagwenda authorities to provide evidence that challenges the ministry’s report.

Dorothy Nyakato Nzibonera, the Kitagwenda district woman Member of Parliament, called for the intervention of technical people to provide facts which she said will pave a way for a right decision on the matter.

Based on the contradicting submissions from both parties, Minister Rusoke, recommended another expanded meeting with other line offices of ministry of lands, energy and the Attorney General to further discuss and provide a way forward on the matter and provide a lasting solution.

In 2008, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) permitted Hima Cement Limited to mine limestone from the quarry. The company, which later acquired a mining lease from the Ministry of Energy, had been remitting over UGX 170 million annually to Kamwenge District and its now close to 1 billion since the payment was stayed.