The Hoima Grade One Magistrates court on Friday remanded Nestory Tumwesigye, the Kyangwali sub-county LCV Councilor for attempted assault.
Court heard that Tumwesigye picked a misunderstanding with the State Minister for Works Fred Byamukama after he started grilling some parish chiefs who were accused of extorting money from PDM beneficiaries. This was after Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner-RDC informed the minister that some parish chiefs were charging between 50,000 and 200,000 Shillings to help the various groups open bank accounts.
Byamukama immediately ordered the arrest and detention of the implicated parish chiefs saying all activities under PDM are for free.
The minister’s directive did not go down well with Tumwesigye who stood up and advanced towards the minister and threatened to slap him should he arrest the implicated parish chiefs.
He was immediately arrested by the minister’s bodyguards and detained at the Kikuube Central police station before being transferred to Hoima city central police station.
Appearing before the Hoima, Tumwesigye denied the charges of inciting violence and sabotaging government programs.
He was remanded to Hoima government prison until July 14 when he will reappear in court. This is not the first time Tumwesigye is being arrested and charged over the assault.
In May, Tumwesigye was arrested for allegedly assaulting Zulia Nyakahara, the Kiziranfumbi town council female Councillor, who also doubles as the District Finance Secretary during a visit by the Minister of State for Lands, Sam Mayanja to Nyairongo village, Kabwoya sub-county.
The Minister was in Kikuube to investigate the brutal eviction of over 20,000 people from Bugoma forest land that the Bunyoro Kingdom leased to Hoima sugar limited.
The two councilors developed a misunderstanding for unclear reasons prompting Tumwesigye to slap Nyakahara.
He was arrested and later produced before the court and charged with assault and released on bail.
This, however, comes barely a week when a congregant identified as Michael Okurut walked to the altar and slapped junior works minister Musa Ecweru at St. Michael Catholic Church in Amuria.
