Section 89: Penalties for Illegal Land Occupation in Uganda
89.Offences and penalties
(1)Any person who—
(a)being a non-citizen, acquires land in freehold using fraudulent means;
(b)makes a false declaration in any manner relating to land;
(c)willfully and without the consent of the owner occupies land belonging to another person;
(d)being a member of a land tribunal, a board, a committee, solicits or receives any payment from any person to whom any service is rendered under this Act being payment which the member is not authorised to collect or receive under this Act; or
(e)attempts to evict, evicts or participates in the eviction of a lawful or bona fide occupant from registered land without an order of eviction,
commits an offence.
(2)Any person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(a) is liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.
(3)Any person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(b) iable to a fine not exceeding twenty-five currency points or to imprisonment a term not exceeding one year, or both.
(4)Any person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(c) is liable to a fine not exceeding ninety-six currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding four years, or both.
(5)Any person who commits an offence under subsection (1)(d) is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding twenty-five currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.
(6)Any person convicted of an offence specified in subsection (1)(e) is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years.
(7)Where a person is convicted under subsection (6), the court may—
(a)order that person to pay compensation or damages to the person who was evicted; or
(b)make an order for restitution in favour of the person who was evicted.
(8) A court convicting a person of an offence to which subsection (4) relates may, in addition, issue a warrant addressed to a police officer requiring the officer immediately and subject to such conditions as the court may impose to—
(a)enter upon the land which was the subject of the conviction;
(b)dispossess and remove from the land the person convicted together with his or her family, dependents and servants;
(c)take possession of the land on behalf of the owner, together with crops growing on the land and buildings and other immovable property;
(d)hand over the property to the owner immediately after taking possession.
(9)No order shall be made under subsection (8)(c) if the court is satisfied that some person other than the person convicted or his or her family, dependents or servants is in lawful possession of the land.
Plain English Summary
It is illegal for a non-citizen to fraudulently acquire freehold land. Making false declarations about land is also an offence. Occupying someone's la...
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