By Peter Abanabasazi
Police in Kikuube district is holding two Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom officials for allegedly extorting over Sh100 million from residents promising to hire them land on the contested Hoima Sugar land.

The suspects are Gerald Bareke, the Buhaguzi County chief and Moses Busobozi, the Kingdom chief in charge of Kyangwali Sub County.

The two were picked up in a meeting that was convened by Kikuube RDC Amlan Tumusiime with over 30 residents from Kibaale village in Kyangwali who petitioned his office seeking his intervention to recover their money from the suspects.

Speaking in meeting held Tuesday and graced by the suspects, the Buhaguzi County MP Francis Kazini and Hoima Sugar Limited management, the residents accused the suspects for having extorted over Sh100m from them.

America Niwamanya one of the victims says she paid over Sh10 million to the two who hired her 50 acres of land for cultivation. She says a few weeks later, she was ordered by the district security committee to leave the land since she was occupying it illegally.

Ben Bikaka, another victim told the meeting that she paid Sh7 million to the suspects who allocated him 10 acres where he was evicted by security on grounds that the land belongs to Hoima sugar limited.

Erick Wabwire, the Kikuube District Police CID officer says they have so far recorded statements from 25 people over extortion claims against Baleke and Busobozi.

RDC Tumusiime noted that several people have been cheated by the duo promising to offer them land in the name of the kingdom. He noted that he contacted the Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakatanga denied knowing about the extortion.