By Spy Uganda
Kampala: According to reports from Ntungamo District, Rushenyi County, after hearing about the news about the arrest of Labor Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana who was defeated by Kabasharira in the NRM primary elections, residents took it to the streets to celebrate the exciting news.
According to the deputy police spokesperson Polly Namaye, Rukutana was arrested for shooting into a post-election crowd and injuring three people during the NRM primary elections on Friday.
“Mwesigwa Rukutana has been arrested with three of his bodyguards,” said deputy police spokesperson Polly Namaye. “He is being detained at Ntungamo police station and with the guards they will face attempted murder charges.”
Courtesy of NTV;Video Showing Residents Celebrating Rukutana’s Arrest.
Namaye added that Rukutana and his three bodyguards will face charges related to inciting violence, attempted murder and malicious damage.
It is alleged that after results were announced and Rukutana realized he had lost to Naome Kabasharira, he grabbed a gun from one of his escorts and shot into the jubilant crowds injuring some of Kabasharira’s supporters.
Namaye revealed that one of the victims sustained severe injuries on his head while the others received minor wounds hence escaping the shooting.
Among the most severely injured victims identified as Dan Rwiburungi who was rushed to Ntungamo Hospital in a critical condition was pronounced dead later on
However, in his defense after shooting, Rukutana claimed he was trying to protect himself after noticing that he was insecure amidst heavy crowds of his opponent Ms Kabasharira.
“Those people were armed,they came to my farm and blocked my family members from leaving home, my guards went and urged them to leave but they refused. I was trying to secure myself,” he said.
It’s worthy noting that this is not the first time Rukutana is cited in violence and controversies, using his authority as a deputy Attorney General last year, he blasted Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, the chairperson of the commission of inquiry into land matters appointed by the President for quizzing him over how the Government acquired the Mutungo Hill land that is used as a facility for the External Security Organisation (ESO).
The commission was also querying Rukutana to answer how he endorsed payment to Dr. Muhammad Kasasa Buwule for the 12-acre facility land which Rukutana defended himself saying that he had been in office for four years.
When Bamugemereire went ahead to squeeze him to give more explanations, Rukutana snubbed her questions and blasted her to go and report him to the President or God.
“I don’t give a damn. Let her tell the president, she can even tell God,” the blagging Rukutana told journalists after the after pumping anger into Bamugemereire by rejecting to answer her questions.
TheSpy Uganda noted part of the quiz of Land Probe Commission headed by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire and Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana over the contentious Mutungo land compensation;
Bamugemereire: “But this is the problem, the Auditor General has seen a loophole, he has noticed that there is a contract that has been entered into without the Solicitor General’s advice. So, in this case, he is well within his constitutional mandate to suggest that this contract should not have gone on because there was no Attorney General opinion.”
Rukutana: “My lord, I said that when it comes to accounting and financial matters, the Auditor General is right very much within mandate.”
Bamugemereire: “I don’t think that you are right.”
Rukutana: “Well, that is your opinion my lord.”
Bamugemereire: “I am not sure that you are right. And I am serious, and I don’t think that you are right.”
Rukutana: “I am also serious. And I am saying and I am asserting that I am right, when it comes to legal matters.”
Bamugemereire: “In fact, I think you are wrong. I think if a Deputy Attorney General goes on record to say that Auditor General has no right to peep at any document of government and comment on any issue except [if it is] financial. I think you are absolutely wrong!”
Rukutana: “My Lord, that is your opinion and it is not mine. I said when it comes to financial, auditing and accounting matters!”
Rukutana: “First of all, explain to me what a legal audit is.”
Bamugemereire: “Now, if you do not know legal audit, what are we supposed to tell you?”
Rukutana: “I know a legal audit, but not in terms of interpreting contracts. It is not that I don’t know it. Of course you know that I know it!”
Rukutana: “You should not wonder. By the time government purchased, Dr Kasasa (Buwule) was owner of property. Why shouldn’t government honour its obligations?” Bamugemereire: “Please be respectful. You have used words like ‘whatever’, which is not respectful to the commission.”
Rukutana: “If I will not be respected, I will not be respectful!”
Bamugemereire: “I think let’s stop here. Two weeks ago, we granted you an adjournment to come and respond. The learned Deputy Attorney General returned and our main objective was to bring clarity to this compensation award granted to Dr Kasasa (Buwule). “We had hoped that when the learned Deputy Attorney General would sit there, he would provide clarity. There are allegations of irregular, fraudulent process.
We have been confronted by hostility, combativeness, and a condescending attitude never seen before.” “I have thought hard about this. Now I will refer this matter to His Excellency (Museveni) to find out how sh24.6b is about to leave the treasury. This level of disrespect cannot be tolerated here. I am dismissing you.”
