The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has today added new charges of aggravated robbery against Labour minister Mwesigwa Rukutana over the violent incident in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries in Ntungamo in late September.

Sources on Tuesday revealed that DPP Justice Jane Abodo had amended the charge sheet in the case against Mr Rukutuna.

“The charge sheet was amended and the case file has been sent to court in Ntungamo where he [Rukutana] is slated to appear,” said a DPP official.

The deputy DPP spokesperson, Ms Irene Nakimbugwe, yesterday confirmed the new charges against Rukutana but declined to give further details on the matter.

“It is true but details of the matter will only be got when the case comes to court. He [Rukutana] will appear in court anytime soon,” Ms Nakimbugwe said.

However, a source close to us also intimated to us that this new case is based on the few items that went missing during the shooting scuffle and the DPP had earlier on pondered slapping the Minister with charges of armed robbery.

Mr Rukutana, a former deputy Attorney General, who is also the current MP for Rushenyi County, was earlier in September charged with attempted murder, assault, malicious damage to property and threatening violence following the incident during the NRM primaries in Rushenyi where he is accused of shooting a supporter of Ms Naome Kabasharira, his rival for the parliamentary seat. 

He, however, denied the charges and was later released on bail. The prosecution however contends that Mr Rukutana assaulted Kabasharira’s supporter, Mr Julius Nuwamanya, and inflicted bodily harm. 

He is also accused of damaging a vehicle belonging to one Mr Moses Muhumuza. The prosecution further contends that Mr Rukutana and others still at large threatened violence against Mr Muhumuza, Mr Nuwamanya, Mr Stuart Kamukama, and Mr Rweiburingi.