Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana remanded

Mbarara, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | State Minister for Labor Mwesigwa Rukutana has been remanded to Kyamugorani Prison in Mbarara district. Rukutana appeared before Ntungamo Grade one Magistrate Nazifah Namayanja this afternoon from where he was charged with seven offences related to attempted murder,  assault, malicious damage, and threatening violence. 

Rukutana was captured in a video that went viral on social media showing him grabbing a gun from one of his bodyguards and started shooting at a vehicle belonging to supporters of his political rival Naome Kabasharira. At the time of the incident, Rukutana had just lost the Rushenyi country NRM flag to Kabasharira. 

The Prosecution alleges that on September 5, 2020, at Kagugu village in Ntungamo District, Rukutana and others still at large assaulted Julius Niwamanya and threatened to kill or injure him together with three others.  The others are Stuart Kamukama, Dan Rwibirungi, and Moses Kamukama.  

It is also alleged that Rukutana also willfully and unlawfully damaged a motor vehicle registration number UAR 840X Toyota Rav 4 type which belongs to Moses Muhumuza. 

According to the Judiciary Public Relations Officer, Jameson Karemani, Rukutana has not taken a plea of these charges against him since they can only be tried by the Chief Magistrate who was not in court today.

As a result, the Grade One Magistrate Namayanja decided to send him to Kyamugorani, awaiting his return to court on Tuesday.       

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