Humanist

You who grew up in Entebbe knew him by his nickname Obone, derived from his Iteso name Okoit, which is derived from the Ateso word akoit, which means bone.

You who got to know him in later years, from senior secondary school level and above, you probably know him as Jemo, derived from his Christian name, James.

Yes, I am talking about my brother, James Ezron Okoit Owaraga (as his name appears on his birth certificate).

Two weeks ago, a narcistic male psychopath (NMP) caused Jemo to be detained for the whole day at Pallisa Central Police Station; after which he was briefly presented to the Magistrate’s Court; and remanded to Kamuge Prison.

“A narcissistic psychopath may lie, cheat, or steal just so that they can have something that someone else has.”

For Jemo, it is the land that our late papa, Eng. George William Obityo Owaraga, gifted him that the NMP covets.

Papa gifted Jemo his land in Olilim in Pallisa, in order that when Jemo came of age, he would establish his country home in the lands that were originally of Papa Okoit, whom Jemo is named after.

Papa Okoit was a cousin brother to our paternal grandfather, Chief Yosia Engatunyun (RIP). As in Jemo was gifted said land at birth; and reconfirmed during his naming ceremony.

Fast forward to November 2020, papa Owaraga has rested. NMP, a man approaching his 70s and is 20 years older than Jemo, swings into action and tries to lie his way into grabbing Jemo’s land from him; claiming it wasn’t given to Jemo and that he was the one entitled to it!

All the four surviving brothers of our late papa Owaraga at the time, emphatically dispelled NMP’s delusions. In unison they reaffirmed their late brother had gifted Jemo the land while Jemo was a baby.

All the clan leaders and local authorities in Olilim were similarly in unison, emphatic that the land was gifted to Jemo; and that it is Jemo that they know as the legitimate owner.

Jemo at the sight of if his country home in Olilim in Pallisa

In 2021, when Jemo, begun to build his country home on his land in Olilim, NMP couldn’t bear it.

In 2022, NMP was overcome with jealousy and greed and so he deployed his agent to harass Jemo and his workers.

When the harassment didn’t bear fruit, NMP’s agent showed up with building materials, claiming NMP was asserting his imagined claim of the share of land. That he too will build on it!

NMP did so, knowing it would provoke Jemo and ignite the latter’s explosive temper. And so it was that Jemo was triggered.

Jemo followed NMP’s agent home to return the materials which he had delivered on Jemo’s land. When he got there, he found NMP’s agent had mobilized a group of thugs, most likely on instructions from NMP.

Emboldened that he was with thugs and in his territory, NMP’s agent dismissively spat on Jemo, when the latter was cautioning him not to trespass on his land, so the story goes.

It was the last straw for Jemo and, according to him, he boxed NMP’s agent. NMP thugs ganged up against Jemo, but still, reportedly, Jemo fought them all and did inflict significant bunches on NMP’s agents, before the fight was ended.

Both parties went to Police, opened up case files counter accusing the other. At some point, apparently, both NMP’s agent and Jemo had agreed to call a truce. Each accepting they had erred and that they each forgave each other and chose to move on.

However, both did not go to Police to withdraw their cases.

That the two had called a truce, did not please NMP at all. He again, deployed lies and filed a case with the Police against Jemo for “Forceful entry onto the land on Olilim.”

Guys, I am not making this stuff up. It is real. And NMP claimed it was his duty to do so as a beneficiary of the estate of my late papa Owaraga. Anyway, the Police swung into action, summoned Jemo and his workers.

Inconveniencing clan leaders, Jemo and his workers by putting them on Police bond for months, until two weeks ago, when the bonds were cancelled.

The reason for cancellation of the bond, was because the Pallisa Resident State Attorney did not sanction the “Forceful entry case.” The reasons why the case was not sanctioned, am told are:

• NMP does not have letters of administration of the estate of my late papa Owaraga – as in he has no legal authority and claim over Jemo’s land at Olilim.
• Jemo’s Olilim land is not in the purported will of my late papa Owaraga which is under challenge in courts of law – as in it is not part of the estate of my late papa, for during his life time he gifted it to Jemo.

The green-eyed monster in NMP burst out. He made his agent break his gentleman’s agreement with Jemo and revived his complaint of assault against Jemo.

What is interesting, apparently, the Police claimed that Jemo’s case against NMP’s agent was discontinued because of insufficient witnesses. The judge was presented with only one side of the story.

After having been kept in Police cells the whole day, shocked and angered that the case on which they had shaken hands on had been revived, Jemo pleaded guilty to the charge of assault.

Off he went for his first experience as a guest of the state, in prison.

Cut long story short, when we, his loved one’s got to know, we swung into action. By the time Jemo was presented before the judge for sentencing last Tuesday, 19^th March 2024, we had done our homework and prepped.

When he was presented, there was no doubt in the minds of most that there was an injustice being perpetrated.

In his wisdom, the judge, cautioned Jemo against assaulting people; fined Jemo to pay the medical bills; and let him go giving him a grace period of 90 days in which to pay the fine.

NMP’s agent am told was visibly in shock for NMP, who masquerades as a lawyer and an advocate, had promised him the judge would award him millions in damages.

Profiled photo is of Jemo and toto (our mum) a couple of days after his release from prison.