Law
IGG Fires Back at Abuse of Office Allegations, Defends Interdiction of Land Registration Boss
The Inspectorate of Government has strongly defended its decision to interdict and prosecute the Commissioner for Land Registration, Mr. Baker Mugaino, dismissing as “unfounded” the allegations published in The Independent Magazine that accused IGG Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe of abusing her office.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, July 23, 2025, the Inspectorate responded to an article titled “IGG Abusing Her Office”, which was published on July 20 by journalist Andrew Mwenda in The Independent Magazine. The article questioned Kamya’s decision to suspend Mugaino and accused the IGG of mishandling the matter.
According to the statement, the Inspectorate received 22 separate complaints between December 2024 and April 2025 against Mr. Mugaino. These included serious allegations such as: Cancelling certificates of title without following lawful procedures, Removing caveats without proper notification, Double titling and issuing special certificates of title despite the existence of originals, Meddling in land disputes that are legally meant for courts, allegedly to defeat justice.
The IGG revealed that preliminary investigations found merit in the accusations, prompting a full-scale probe into Mugaino’s office. “It is standard procedure for the IGG to issue orders to interdict a public officer if there’s a reasonable belief that the officer might interfere with investigations,” the statement reads.
Citing constitutional and statutory provisions—Article 230(2) of the Constitution and Section 13(6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act—the IGG emphasised that her actions were within legal bounds.
“Over the past four years, the IGG has interdicted over 150 public officers, including six senior officials in the Office of the Prime Minister and numerous Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs). But it seems these were considered ‘small fish’ by The Independent Magazine and its author,” the statement added, in a veiled criticism of perceived selective attention by the media.
Case Now in Court
Following the full investigation, the Inspectorate formally charged Mr. Mugaino with abuse of office and negligence of duty. The statement disclosed that around 20 complainants have recorded witness statements and are prepared to testify in court. One of the complainants is Tropical Bank, while no official petition has been received from Mr. Bosco Muwonge, a name mentioned in The Independent article.
The IGG further expressed disappointment in Mr. Mwenda’s decision to publish the article without seeking her side of the story. “It is beneath his calibre to have published such a story without according the IGG her inalienable right to be heard,” the statement noted.
While defending the integrity of her office, Kamya urged The Independent and Mr. Mwenda to respect the sub judice rule, warning that the ongoing court proceedings bar any public discussion of the matter. “Support your friend in court where facts and figures, not speculation, reign,” the IGG concluded.
The case is now before the courts of law, and the Inspectorate says it is confident that the truth will emerge through due legal process.
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