The High Court sitting in Patongo, Agago District, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, upheld a decades-old land sale made in 1968, confirming Ostino Okello as the lawful owner of one acre of land in Ibule Village. The ruling followed an appeal against the judgment and decree of His Worship Emmanuel Alioni Drajole, delivered on October 26, 2022, in Land Claim No. 027 of 2016 concerning a parcel of land located at Olyelo Widyel Parish, Kotomor Sub-county, Agago District.
In his decision, Justice George Okello dismissed most of the grounds of appeal filed by two brothers who had challenged the lower court’s ruling in favor of the buyer. The dispute stemmed from land originally owned by Simon Anguti, who reportedly sold a portion to Okello nearly six decades ago.
The appellants, Bosco Okello and Sam Kato Ogwal, administrators of the estate of the late David Okello and relatives of Anguti, argued that their family had cleared and settled on the land as early as the mid-1950s. They further contended that the trial magistrate erred in evaluating evidence, conducted a flawed locus in quo visit, and wrongly awarded interest on costs.
In his detailed judgment, Justice Okello found that while the trial court had made minor procedural errors, the evidence clearly supported that Ostino Okello purchased one acre from Anguti in 1968. He added that inconsistencies in witness testimonies — such as whether the land was cleared in 1954 or 1956 — were minor and had no bearing on the validity of the sale.
However, the judge faulted the trial court for awarding the respondent four acres when the evidence only proved the purchase of one acre. He also set aside the interest on costs, ruling that it had not been pleaded and was therefore irregular.
The High Court ultimately affirmed Ostino Okello’s ownership of one acre and ordered a joint survey to demarcate the land boundaries. The court further issued a permanent injunction restraining Okello and Ogwal (the appellants) from interfering with the land. Justice Okello upheld the general damages of UGX 5 million and directed the appellants to pay 60 percent of the appeal costs.
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