Mr. Dan Rwiburingi, a victim of the Saturday shooting incident in Ntungamo that has landed Labour Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana in jail has said he didn’t suffer bullet injuries from the confrontation.
In a video circulating on social media, recorded from his hospital bed in Mbarara Referral Hospital on Monday, Mr. Rwiburingi, a key witness in the intended prosecution of the minister said he was hit on the head using an object.
“He beat the head,” Rwiburingi responded to a woman who asked what happened.
He is also heard saying in the video that his legs were paralyzed and therefore couldn’t stretch them.
President Museveni on Monday indicated that Mr. Rukutana, the State Minister for Labour who spent the weekend in detention at Mbarara police following a shooting incident in Ntungamo, will be charged with attempted murder.
The President said this via his twitter account on Monday morning.
“The cheating in the NRM Primaries is over. Those who beat People, like in Bukono, are all in jail or on the run. Minister Rukutana is in jail and will be prosecuted…” reads part of the tweet.
The Criminal Investigations Department Director Grace Akullo has since taken over the case in which Labor minister Mwesigwa Rukutana was involved in a shooting incident in Rushenyi, Ntungamo district.
The development was revealed by the Spokesperson of Police for Rwizi region Samson Kasasira.
“The Director for CID has also found out that the injuries sustained by the victim aren’t from a bullet but from an object that is yet to be identified.” Samson Kasasira, the Police Spokesperson for Rwizi region said.
Rukutana was arrested on Saturday following a loud outcry from the public after the clip showing the incident surfaced on social media.
He is currently being held at Mbarara Police Station together with his two escorts.
Local residents yesterday took to the streets to celebrate Naomi Kabasharira (Rukutana’s opponent) ’s win and Rukutana’s arrest.
Some of his colleagues like Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru have since come out strongly to condemn Rukutana’s actions.
“Where guns are drawn, and people are shot because they don’t agree on the process of an election, it’s a sad thing and those who have drawn guns should be punished.” Ecweru said.