Moslem leaders in Hoima District have turned against the Bunyoro/Tooro Regional Khadhi as the end of days for Total fuel station in Hoima City to attach Hoima Town Mosque properties over a reported debt accumulation nears.
Sheikh Dr Mohammed Irumba reportedly filled his official vehicle progressively with fuel amounting to Shs12.9m after mortgaging the Hoima Town Mosque land title to Total fuel station.
This came to limelight after an advert appeared in Daily Monitor – one of the national dailies onTuesday, March 2, 2021, in which Total fuel station through Majimoto Auctioneers and Court Bailiffs advertised to attach the Muslim properties over the debt.
The advert was greeted with disbelief and astonishment by Muslim leaders in Hoima with the Imam of Hoima Town Mosque, Sheikh Swaibu Adam Ntegeka, wondering and saying that he was never informed of any transaction of the kind.
Mr Abu-Bakr Busobozi, an executive member of Hoima Town Mosque advised Majimoto Auctioneers and Court Bailiffs to instead sell off the vehicle that he said is worth the value other than attaching the Muslim land housing a mosque, a primary school and at least 15 lockups located downtown Hoima City along Old Tooro Road in East Division.
He said once it all goes on well; leaders of Hoima Town Mosque will immediately transfer the land title from Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) to Hoima Town Mosque.
The Bwikya Mosque Chairman also in Hoima city, Iddi Magezi, wondered how Sheikh Irumba mortgaged the Muslim properties without the believers’ consent. He said the properties belong to the Muslim community as opposed to individual people.
Mr Magezi, thus, said Sheikh Irumba should be held accountable alone.
Mr Magezi urged the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje to summon Sheikh Irumba to explain the matter.
When contacted, Mr Denis Asiimwe, the Director of Majimoto Auctioneers and Court Bailiffs said that the Director of Total fuel station in Hoima city, Alice Joy Kabateraine, sued the UMSC over the debt two years until Tuesday when the properties were advertised to be attached after the defendants lost the suit in Hoima Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Mr Asiimwe said the bailiffs received an order from the Hoima Chief Magistrate’s Court authorising them to attach and sell off the properties adding that the total cost of the suit runs up to Shs40m.
After receiving the information, the UMSC released a letter dated Tuesday, March 2, 2021, denying that the Council allowed anybody to get fuel from Total on its recommendation. The letter said Sheikh Irumba did it as an individual.
When contacted, Sheikh Dr Irumba said the advert caught him unawares adding that he was engaging his lawyers on the matter after realising that his name was being tainted.
The cleric said he had never been to any court of law over the matter.
