A prominent Ugandan academic has accused senior police officials of obstructing justice and aiding his estranged wife in preventing him from accessing their multimillion-shilling matrimonial home in Kampala.
Professor Badru Ddungu Kateregga, the founder and vice chancellor of Kampala University, claims police and prosecutors have failed to act on formal directives from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) regarding his ongoing dispute with his wife, Ms Jolly Shubaiha Kateregga Irankunda.
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Speaking to journalists on Friday at the university’s Ggaba campus, Prof Kateregga alleged that despite reporting an attempted assault in September 2024—which he attributes to his wife—relevant authorities had not facilitated his return to their Buziga residence, valued at Shs5 billion.
He accused the Director of Criminal Investigations (CID), Tom Magambo, of ignoring IGP directives and being inappropriately involved in the matter. “Why is he visiting my home at night in vehicles with foreign plates?” the professor asked. “This is a domestic matter that has been allowed to escalate.”
Prof Kateregga claims to have fled the home following a threat to his life, and alleges that since then, Ms Irankunda, with help from a private security firm and some police officers, has blocked his re-entry. He further alleges the theft of vehicles, over Shs100 million, and US$75,000 in cash, some of which he says were taken across the border to Rwanda.
According to documents shared by his legal team, the IGP responded to his request for protection on 10 June, instructing CID to assist him. A follow-up directive, issued on 24 June, reportedly asked Kampala Metropolitan Police to oversee a formal handover of the property. The professor says both instructions were ignored.
“There are now police patrols stationed permanently at my home. Neither I, my lawyers, nor my family are allowed inside. It has effectively become a safe house,” he told reporters.
In response, Uganda Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke dismissed the allegations as baseless. “This is a civil dispute over property,” he said. “We investigated and referred the case to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who advised that the matter be resolved in civil court.”
Mr Rusoke added that court orders are required before police can act in property disputes. “Even if the IGP gives a directive, we cannot enforce entry without a court ruling. We don’t allocate property.”
Ms Irankunda, responding in a statement issued Saturday, rejected her husband’s claims. She said Prof Kateregga voluntarily left their home in September last year and has never returned.
“It is unfortunate that he now alleges he was forced out when in fact he chose to leave. These accusations were investigated and found to be baseless by both the police and the DPP,” she said.
She also accused the professor of waging a media campaign instead of pursuing legal avenues, adding that repeated claims of abuse and theft had already been dismissed.
Prof Kateregga concluded his remarks by calling for intervention from relevant authorities, saying, “It’s disheartening that a law-abiding citizen and national contributor can be denied justice in this way.”
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