By Nyankieya Enock
A Malaba court today, April 15th, 2024, visited a disputed land at Kaukotoit village, Malaba North Ward, Teso North Sub County, whose owner died early last month.
The body of Mzee Stephen Okiradu, aged 74, still lies at Frapa Funeral Home for the last 38 days after the buyer went to court to stop the burial.
Principal Magistrate Ocharo Momanyi adjourned court sessions in Amagoro to move the court to the site in the company of the plaintiffs lawyer Ajah Olubyayi and defendants lawyer Okeyo Ochiel.
Tension was high, with hundreds of area residents turning up to witness as the court moved to the site to assess the land to get a clear picture on the dispute. Malaba OCS George Ouka led a continent of police officers in providing security.
The court started the two-hour session by first visiting the land owned by the later Yoskofat Okiring before moving to the portion bought by Mr James Olubyayi in 2014. Mzee Okiradu’s land was neighbouring that of the late Okiring.
The defendants showed the trial magistrate demarcations of their ancestral land, including where their late father’s house stood before he was forcefully evicted.
The late Alfayo Odeke’s son Dan Etyang, who lived in a two-acre piece of land sold by his father pleaded with the judge to have him retain the land, which he has planted maize, noting that he has nowhere to go.
Imaare clan chairman Agrrey Ekiring cautioned the community against arbitrary selling of ancestral lands without involving elders to avoid a repeat of such incidences in the future.
He called for an urgent conclusion of the case by the trial judge to enable them them bury their clansman whose mortuary costs continue increasing day by day owing to the protracted court battle.
Area residents have lauded the court for visiting the site and hoped the deceased family will get justice.
