KAMPALA – Mrs. Mary Margret Meri, a former Primary school teacher, sobbed helplessly as she gave an account to the commission investigation of land matters.
The victim said she was kidnapped, held hostage and forced to sign transfer forms giving away her prestigious house worth a billion shilling to the then IGP advisor of police Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura.
She was kidnapped more than once and several letters giving away her house to the Gen. Kaihura’s former technical advisor Ambrose Murunga, a Kenyan and Kampala lawyers Geoffrey Nangumya and another only identified as Collins.
“The property was given to me as a divorce settlement. I decided to mortgage the house for UGX250m with Housing Finance Bank since global economic crisis pushed the interest from 16per cent to 33per cent and I decided to lift off the weight of the loan,” said Meri.
She also made a decision of selling off her loan to a Chinese moneylender, Alexander from Huadang Gudong based at Kitgum house, who paid the UGX57M to Housing finance bank and claimed his title.
“Five months later, I happened to receive a call from then IGP advisor Ambrose’s broker, seeking a meeting at Quality Cuts in Kabalagala over the property.
On my arrival, he disclosed his intentions of buying the property and I told him I needed UGX700m from the property but he rather negotiated to UGX200m,” Meri narrated.
Murunga and Mr.Nangumya later joined them and drove to Martin road in Old Kampala.
“Little did I know that they were armed that then said Murunga was working with the state house. We then drove to Kitgum house where Murunga and Nangumya introduced me as their sister and that I had to send them for the title,” she added.
She was further not given a chance to talk or consult her children, and now the homeless lady lives at Mulago hospital causality. On driving her back, she was taken. To Nagumya’s office where he drafted a November 24, 2013 agreement between her and Murunga in the selling of the house at UGX186M.
“I was put under duress to sign and later taken back to my property where I was given 10m hand cash but after verification, it was just 9m.my house was rather worth UGX1bn but it was too later when I realized it was Patrick,” Meri narrated in agony.
Having lived in Zambia – for over a decade – with her husband, Tony Kasadha, Ms Meri cries foul play in the sale of her property.
