The Magistrates Court in Ntungamo has acquitted the State Minister for Labour, Mwesigwa Rukutana of all charges from a shooting incident in Ntungamo during the NRM primaries last year.
The Minister was arrested on September 5 together with his four bodyguards following a violate exchange between the minister and supporters of his rival Naome Kabasharira who had defeated him in the NRM primaries.
He was then charged in court for attempted murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, threatening violence, and malicious damage to property.
The acting Chief Magistrate of Ntungamo magistrates court Gordon Tumuhimbise has however today on Friday acquitted him of all charges saying prosecution failed to prove that the former deputy Attorney General was involved in the said incidents.
“From the evidence, it is very clear that at the second scene the victims were attacked by unidentified occupants of a minibus. There is no cogent evidence whatsoever showing that the accused appeared at this scene and in the light of the grave inconsistencies and contradictions in the prosecution evidence, this court finds the evidence of the witnesses a mere fabrication,” Tumuhimbise ruled.
On causing malicious damage of a motor vehicle, Toyota Rav4, registration number UAQ 840X during the scuffle, the magistrate ruled; “It is very clear that this vehicle left the first scene where they met the accused intact. During his defence, the accused stated that he never appeared on the second scene where this violence occurred. I, therefore, find that prosecution has not proved all the ingredients of this offence against the accused beyond reasonable doubt and the accused should be acquitted of this offence.”