Kampala – Mr. Lino Anguzu, Director of Public Prosecutions, (DPP) chaired a strategic engagement between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and Redeem International, an organization committed to combating land and property grabbing crimes affecting widows and orphans.
The meeting centered on consolidating institutional cooperation, strengthening information-sharing frameworks, and enhancing coordinated prosecution of illegal land and property dispossession. Both institutions reaffirmed their shared commitment to protecting vulnerable victims, holding offenders accountable, and restoring unlawfully taken land and homes.
Ms. Juliet Nafuna, National Director of Redeem International, reiterated that the organization’s partnership with the ODPP is designed to strengthen the prosecutorial environment within which the ODPP executes its constitutional mandate. She emphasised that sustainable justice for vulnerable communities requires prosecutorial capacity, and strategic collaboration.
In a comprehensive presentation, representatives of Redeem International highlighted measurable achievements arising from the partnership. To date, 875 suspects implicated in land and property grabbing crimes against widows and orphans have been prosecuted, with 268 convictions secured. Additionally, 5,722 beneficiaries have been served, 3,116 victims have been restored to their land and homes, and 3,280 survivors have been rehabilitated. These outcomes reflect not only successful prosecutions but also tangible restitution and social recovery for affected communities. However, the team noted that the shortage of prosecutors remains a significant challenge affecting the timeliness of case disposal.
Ms. Nafuna commended Mr. Andrew Odiit, Principal Assistant DPP and Head of the Land Crimes Department, for his leadership in coordinating efforts between the two institutions.
In his remarks, the DPP reaffirmed that land and property grabbing offences remain a strategic priority for the ODPP, hence the establishment of a dedicated Land Crimes Department as a strategic intervention that has sharpened focus on combating property-related criminality. He emphasised the need for heightened awareness among law enforcement agencies, judicial officers, and political leaders regarding the criminal nature of such conduct. He further outlined his vision to strengthen the ODPP’s Asset Recovery Unit to ensure that, in every appropriate case, stolen property is traced, recovered, and returned to rightful owners, thereby delivering justice that ensures accountability and restitution.
Mr. Odumbi James Owere, Deputy DPP, underscored the importance of community sensitisation as a preventive tool, noting that citizens must be empowered with knowledge on how to access the criminal justice system in cases of land and property dispossession.
Mr. John Baptist Asiimwe, Deputy DPP, observed that the forthcoming Annual Prosecutors’ Symposium presents an important platform for Redeem International to engage prosecutors nationwide, deepen technical collaboration, and strengthen coordinated response mechanisms.
The engagement marked a significant step in reinforcing institutional synergy, enhancing prosecutorial effectiveness, and safeguarding the land and property rights of vulnerable Ugandans.
The ODPP and Redeem International reaffirmed their joint commitment to accountability, restoration, and the protection of widows and orphans from unlawful dispossession, ensuring that justice is not only pursued, but meaningfully realised.
