According to court documents and testimonies from Mbeya Island residents, he was attacked and beaten nearly to death by individuals allegedly associated with Wanyama’s camp.
For days, Fredrick Namara Karuhanga lay unconscious after a brutal assault that nearly claimed his life in March 2023.
Severely beaten, abandoned along the lakeshores of Mbeya Island in Mukono District, and stripped of his property, Namara survived only after marine soldiers intervened and rushed him to a medical facility for treatment.
He later opened a criminal case — court file 1324/2024 — seeking justice for attempted murder, aggravated robbery, and assault.
But in a dramatic twist that has shocked residents of Mukono and raised serious legal questions, Namara himself was arrested on February 10, 2026, in connection with a matter he insists had nothing to do with him.
At the center of the unfolding saga is senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer Major Mark Wanyama, who has publicly portrayed himself as a law-abiding citizen.
However, court records, police files, and testimonies from Mbeya Island suggest a far more complex and troubling story — one marked by allegations of torture, contested arrests, a protracted land wrangle, and possible interference in criminal proceedings.
Contrary to Major Wanyama’s recent media claims, available police records indicate that Namara was never among the accused persons linked to the destruction of property at Mbeya Island.
The suspects in that case, registered under File No. CRB 442/2023, were led by Juma Mukwana and others. Namara neither recorded a statement in that file nor interacted with police regarding it. The file had reportedly been sanctioned twice prior to his arrest.
Yet on February 10, 2026, Namara was taken into custody.
His lawyers describe the arrest as irregular and unlawful, alleging that police were pressured to effect it for appeasement purposes. They further argue that claims suggesting Namara had been in hiding are intended to intimidate him into abandoning his pending case against Wanyama’s camp.
Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala has defended Namara’s release on bond, emphasizing that police bond is a constitutional right and does not signal the conclusion of investigations. She confirmed that the file has been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for guidance.
Namara has since petitioned the ODPP, seeking a swift review of what he describes as an illegal arrest.
From Victim to Suspect
What makes the arrest particularly controversial is that Namara is recorded as a victim in a separate criminal file.
According to court documents and testimonies from Mbeya Island residents, he was attacked and beaten nearly to death by individuals allegedly associated with Wanyama’s camp. He was abandoned at the lakeshore after suffering severe injuries. Marine officers rescued him and rushed him for treatment. He reportedly remained in coma for several days before regaining consciousness.
In one televised interview, Major Wanyama is said to have admitted ordering the fracas during which Namara was assaulted.
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Community members claim Namara’s case is not isolated, alleging that several residents have suffered violence but remained silent out of fear.
If substantiated, such claims would point to coercion and intimidation in what began as a civilian land dispute involving a senior military officer.
The Seven-Acre Dispute
At the heart of the tensions lies a protracted land dispute over seven acres comprising Kyaggwe Block 494, Plot 9, at Mbeya Island.
The land was reportedly purchased on November 6, 2019, by businessman Jackson Twinamasiko from Francis Tyaba, a U.S.-based owner who had granted power of attorney to Joyce Lutaaya. Records indicate the purchase price was sh70m.
Subsequently, Lutaaya allegedly sold the same land to Major Wanyama.
Twinamasiko petitioned both the UPDF and the President, alleging forceful occupation by Wanyama and armed soldiers.
Investigations by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and the Special Investigations Bureau (SIB) reportedly found Wanyama and other soldiers culpable. The matter is now before the UPDF Human Rights Department.
An interim court order restrained interference with the land pending final determination of the suit. On October 21, 2022, the Office of the Inspector General of Police directed enforcement. Despite resistance, the order was implemented in January 2024.
The civil case, now before Justice Mary Kisakye Kaitesi, is expected back in court in March.
Contradictions and Criminal Proceedings
Major Wanyama recently appeared on Bukedde TV and Nile Post, alleging that Namara orchestrated the demolition of his house under the direction of Twinamasiko.
He claimed police had tracked Namara for three years before his arrest by the State House Land Protection Unit. He also suggested that residents had been arrested and charged with serious offences — including murder allegations linked to claims that Namara had been killed — despite Namara being alive.
However, records indicate that arrests on Mbeya Island were connected to the March 22, 2023, murder of 32-year-old fisherman Fred Ntambi at Kizaala Buganda village in Katosi Town Council.
The suspects were later granted bail after a key witness declined to attend court sessions.
Separate allegations have surfaced that a travel company linked to Wanyama promised the witness overseas employment and school fees for the deceased’s children — claims that, if proven, would raise serious ethical and legal concerns.
Alleged Courtroom Threats
In September 2023, while appearing before Mukono Chief Magistrate Roselyn Nsenge, Major Wanyama reportedly threatened to pursue a “criminal path” if justice was not determined in his favor. The remarks were allegedly made after the magistrate cautioned him to testify carefully.
Court records further suggest that, under oath, Wanyama admitted ordering Namara’s beating during an incident involving attempted murder and aggravated robbery, and allegedly expressed disregard for the rule of law.
If verified, such statements could carry serious implications for a serving senior army officer.
A Case with Wider Implications
Residents of Mbeya Island describe a climate of fear, alleging that armed personnel were deployed in what began as a civilian land dispute. Some claim mediation efforts were frustrated and court orders resisted.
The site where Wanyama’s demolished house once stood now lies abandoned. Yet the legal and human consequences of the dispute continue to unfold.
For Namara, the journey from victim to accused has been deeply traumatic. Surviving a near-fatal assault, recovering from a coma, and then facing arrest in an unrelated file has intensified concerns that the criminal justice process may have been weaponized.
With the ODPP reviewing the file, the UPDF Human Rights Department examining findings from CMI and SIB, and the civil suit returning to court in March, the case could set significant precedents regarding accountability within Uganda’s security forces.
What began as a seven-acre land transaction worth sh70m has evolved into a complex web of assault allegations, contested arrests, murder investigations, stalled mediation, and claims of witness interference.
As the courts prepare to hear the matter again, one question remains:
Was Fredrick Namara Karuhanga arrested in pursuit of justice — or in retaliation for surviving long enough to demand it?
