State Minister for Labour, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana has been granted bail after spending about10 days in prison.

The minister is facing charges ranging from attempted murder, assault, malicious damage to property, and threatening violence, following an incident where he allegedly shot and injured a one Mr Rweiburingi in an election-related brawl from his home area.

The Ntungamo Magistrate’s Court presided over by Ms Sara Mponye Kolya on granted a Shs4 million cash bail to Mr Rukutana and bonded each of his four sureties at a non-cash bail of Shs50 million.

The four sureties include; former Minister for Information Rtd Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, Rubaare businessman Hajji Ali Muteeba and Kampala businessman Mr Robert Bob Kabonero.

“Basing on the cases here quoted, the fear by the state that the accused would interfere with investigations can’t override his civil liberties. All the offenses are personal in nature and the complainants are all from one village, the state has been given enough time to investigate. For me the sureties presented are all substantial,” Ms Kolya ruled. 

Rukutana was further ordered by court to leave his passport behind as he might be at flight risk, they feared.

It should be remembered that on September 7, Mr Rukutana appeared in Ntungamo court and applied for bail. However, the presiding Magistrate Ms Kolya could not grant it at the time and instead remanded him to Kitalya Prison in Wakiso District.

Mr Rukutana was arrested on September 5 from his home Ruyonza after allegedly shooting at a vehicle occupied by his opponents. 

One of the occupants of the vehicle his former political contender Mr Daniel Rweiburingi and two others were reportedly injured in the process. Mr Rweiburingi underwent a head and brain surgery following the incident and according to relatives, he is steadily improving. 
 
While he was arrested with his three bodyguards, they remain in prison as for them will appear before institutional disciplinary courts.