Busia: Family embroiled in land dispute appeals for justice to bury kin

Speaking to the press outside the Malaba Law Court after the final submissions of the family led by Amos Iteba, the deceased’s brother, the family decried how the tussle land case has deprived them of their right to give their kin a decent send-off in accordance to Iteso customary law.

“It has been a costly exercise and some of the family’s school-going children have had to skip classes. Others who are working have had to stop going to work until we bury him,” Iteba said.

In his submission before Chief Magistrate Ocharo Momanyi, he said the land was subdivided into a portion according to the tribunal and was supervised by the clan elders led by Ekiringi.

The sentiment was echoed by the clan chair who urged the court to relook into the original boundaries considering the urgency of the matter.

According to the son of the deceased, Fredrick Iteba, all their plans have been paralysed as they can no longer go on with their daily business in respect to the Iteso culture where families must bury their dead before embarking on daily activities.

“He has lived on this land since 1973 and it is surprising for other people to come out now saying they have bought the land. We want a thorough investigation because as the family’s eldest son, I wonder how younger brothers got access to the family land documents. It has to involve all children of the deceased,” he said.