A decades-long family land dispute in Namutumba District has turned deadly after a 78-year-old man allegedly died following an assault by his younger brother.
Busoga East police are hunting for 68-year-old George Nalugoda, a resident of Namuwondo A Village in Namutumba Sub-county, who is accused of causing the death of his elder brother, Patrick Kakaire.
According to preliminary police investigations, the two brothers had been embroiled in a land dispute spanning more than 40 years over property inherited from their late father, Yosamu Nalugoda.
The disagreement reportedly arose after Kakaire, as the family heir, was allocated more than seven acres of land, while the other siblings each received six acres. Nalugoda is said to have repeatedly challenged the arrangement, but clan elders consistently upheld the allocation, maintaining that heirs traditionally receive a slightly larger share.
Police allege that over the weekend, Nalugoda hired a group of youths to destroy Kakaire’s crops, prompting the latter to file a trespass complaint at Namutumba Central Police Station on Sunday. Nalugoda had reportedly been summoned by police to record a statement.
However, before reporting to the police station, Nalugoda allegedly went to his brother’s home and assaulted him, causing him to collapse.
Kakaire was rushed to a nearby private clinic, where he later died. Faisal Mukisa, a relative, said the family had made numerous attempts over the years to reconcile the brothers through meetings involving clan elders and church leaders, but the efforts never resulted in lasting peace. Mukisa expressed fear that the incident could deepen divisions within the family for generations to come because the deceased is alleged to have been killed by his own brother.
He appealed for justice, saying a fair resolution of the case could help restore peace among family members. Busoga East Regional Police Spokesperson Michael Kasadha confirmed the incident and said the suspect fled after realising that his brother had lost consciousness. Kasadha said detectives have been deployed across neighbouring districts to trace Nalugoda and expressed confidence that he will be arrested.
According to Kasadha, the suspect is expected to face charges including causing the death of another person, trespass and disobedience of lawful orders. He also urged members of the public to respect resolutions reached through clan dispute resolution mechanisms, saying such decisions help promote lasting peace within communities. URN