Custodian Board threatens to drag Trans Africa Company to court over trespass

By Nathan Ngobi

Departed Asian Property Custodian Board (DAPCB) has threatened and vowed to drag Trans Africa commerce (TAC) company ltd which is under Mehta group for allegedly trespassing on plot 20 Iganga road in Jinja city.

 This follows a court order giving 90 days to all occupants at the premises to vacate the property on ground that it belongs to TransAfrica commerce company ltd.

Custodian board was established in 1973 to manage all assets left behind by the 50,000 Asians who were forced out by the late dictator Idi Amin. Under the NRM Government, departed Asians could either repossess their properties or be paid compensation provided they could prove ownership.

In this particular case , the Executive Secretary of DAPCB George William Bizibu gave  a letter of property allocation to Kibedi Wanume who has occupied the property for over 20 years while paying rent to the board that is under the ministry of Finance.

However shockingly the board learnt that TransAfrica Commerce ltd (TAC)  company through court  gave 90 days to their tenant Kibedi Wanume  and all occupants to vacate the premises.

The property is now highly guarded by tight security officers as court awaits the 90 days  for TransAfrica to take over.

During a heated meeting on Friday 12^th August 2022  at the Jinja RCC office chaired by the new RCC  Nandinda Darious attended by his deputy RCC southern Division ,  Jinja DPC David Otabongo ,  Wanume Kibedi , TransAfrica Commerce company lawyer  David Mushanga and officials from Custodian board Hirome Mayanja Sabehe  a member of the divestiture committee said that the board has instructed their lawyers to take on TransAfrica over what he referred to as trespass on the property plot 20 Iganga road in Jinja City.

“We have already instructed our lawyers to go to court and remove the orders and also drag TransAfrica to court for trespassing and interfering with not only our client Kibedi Wanume but also attempting to grab the Government property” Hirome told the officers in the meeting.

He said that the property initially belonged to Hoima Cotton Company and their owners failed to return for repossession within the 120 days as required by the law and the property reverted to Government.

He said that TransAfrica are intruders on the property because they do not have any document to prove that Hoima Cotton Company transferred the property ownership to TransAfrica.

When  TransAfrica lawyer David Mushanga  tried to reason that he has documents to prove ownership by his clients, Hirome rubbished him saying those could be documents from Nassar road in Kampala.

 Early March this year President Museveni directed the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board (DAPCB) to fast-track the recovery of thousands of properties formerly under the management of the Board and believed to have been fraudulently taken over by wealthy business personalities.

However lawyer Mushanga David laughed off saying that he is ready to battle out anything concerning the property plot 20 Iganga road in Jinja city.

“Am ready, my clients have documents to prove that TransAfrica Commerce and Hoima Cotton company are part of Mehta group yet Hoima Cotton transferred powers to TransAfrica Commerce to take over their premises” David Mushanga said.

He said that he is waiting to teach the custodian board the books of law in court.

Reports indicate that TransAfrica commerce limited (TAC) was incorporated in October  1994 as an international trading arm of Mehta Group , TAC deal with a diverse range of products like Bajaj, CFL Bulbs, Noodles papers , cables switchgears , motors , transformers , Engineering goods , manhole covers , Fabrication works among others.

TAC portfolio covers the electrical engineering, Agriculture chemicals and construction sectors, products are sources from Sweden, UK, USA, Canada, UAE, India, China, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya.

It operates mainly in Uganda but also exports to Congo,Rwanda, Burundi,Sudan and Tanzania.

Information further reveal that TAC also deals in real estate business in Uganda.

It is not clear if Mehta was a shareholder in the Hoima Cotton Company.

However, Jinja RCC Nandinda Darious later resolved that for security purposes the status quo remains until the 90 days for all occupants to vacate or when the custodian board goes to court to divert the position.

“At the moment let Wanume Kibedi stay on the premises until the 90 days elapses and in the process custodian board goes to court to reclaim the Government property” Nandinda told the members in the meeting.

He also asked counsel Mushanga David to give water and if possible power to Wanume Kibedi after it were disconnected by goons during an attempt by TransAfrica to take over the whole property.

Meantime both Wanume Kibedi and David Mushanga have counter criminal accusations at police and court.