State minister for labor and Industrial development Mwesigwa Rukutana has been released from Kitalya prison on a 4 million shillings cash bail by the Ntugamo chief magistrates court .
Rukutana has not been physically present before court but followed proceedings on a recent e -technology by the judicially called (Zoom) .
The minister was first remanded to Kakiika Government prison in Mbarara on 7th September before being transferred to Kitalya government prison last week.
Rukutana; the former ATTORNEY general
is facing charges of attempted murder, assault occasioning bodily harm , threatening violence and malicious damage to property; the seven counts that stem from his reaction of allegedly drawing a gun towards supporters of his political opponent Naome Kabasharira to whom he had lost to in the recently concluded NRM primary election for Rushenyi county MP flag -bearer.
However, Rukutana has since denied the charges before chief magistrate Sarah Mponye who has admitted him on bail today after spending a week in prison .
This is after the magistrate proving Rukutana’s 4 sureties former minister Jim Muhwezi , Igara East MP Micheal Mawanda , businessmen Bob Kabonero and Hajji Mutebi as substantial enough to prevail over him return to court whenever he is required to do so .
Rukutana through his lawyer Owen Murangira ; applied to be released on bail on grounds that it’s his Constitutional right to ask court for temporary release and that he has since been diagnosed with diseases such as gout , diabetes and pressure ; which conditions cannot stand prison .
Minister Rukutana has also been ordered to despite his travel documents with court , maintain a distance from the complainants and for his securities to each execute a bond of 50 million shillings to ensure that he returns to court whenever he is required to do so starting on the 3rd /November.
Rukutana is alleged to have shot at Rweburingi Daniel and causing bodily harm to Justus Niwamanya on the 5th/Sepptember 2020 at Kagugu parish in his home district Ntungamo.
The minister is further said to have maliciously damaged a car belonging to Moses Muhumuza and also threatened to injure several other people
