State Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mwesigwa Rukutana has spent the last two days at Mbarara Police station after heavily taking part in the political violence in Ntungamo and has now been charged with attempted murder.
“We got information that they want to charge Rukutana before a Grade 1 Magistrate in Ntungamo with attempted murder and other charges well knowing such a court would not grant him bail, The moment he appears in Ntungamo, then the Grade 1 Magistrate will say the court can’t hear such cases hence remanding him to prison. It is a plot by those fighting him politically”- said Moses Arinaitwe, a relative, at Mbarara police station.
The state officials however claim the case has to be heard from the area where the alleged offences were committed before being committed to the High Court. Security remains tight in Mbarara with police calling for restraint.
In a statement issued by Rukutana’s defense team, the Minister did not in anyway take part in the violence that prevailed in Ntungamo.
The lawyers said Rukutana’s son and a Reverend were blocked from accessing a road by men who were driving a Rav 4 car, leading to his intervention.
“At no point did the Minister or his bodyguard release any bullet. The weapons of the Minister’s guard and his weapons were all retrieved by police and are available for inspection and the truth shall be established that the weapons never released any bullet nor is there any shell of any bullet at the scene,” said Rukutana’s lawyers.
President Museveni today said Rukutana would soon face the courts over the political violence in Rushenyi.
“Minister Rukutana is in jail and will be prosecuted,” said Museveni in a statement issued Monday morning.
Deo Rweiburingi, a supporter of Rukutana’s rival Naome Kabasharira, and said to be Rukutana’s victim was injured in the process.
He is being treated at Mbarara Referral Hospital. Police said Rweiburingi was not shot as earlier claimed on social media.
