Minister of State for Works and Transport, Musa Ecweru has been left nursing wounds after a 39-year-old man slapped him while in the church.
A man identified as Michael Okurut over the weekend during the morning service at St. Michael Catholic Church in Wera parish, Wera sub-county in Amuria district slapped the minister over unknown reasons.
The East Kyoga Police spokesperson, Oscar Gregg Ageca confirmed the incident saying that the man has been arrested and will soon be brought to book.
“We have him in our custody and he will face the law. The incident started when Okurut came before the altar like other congregants, knelt down and got his blessings. Afterwards he got up and surprisingly slapped the minister as he was giving his summon,” Ageca said in a statement.
Ageca further explained that Okurut was however subdued by the ministers’ bodyguards who arrested him and later handed him over to the area police.
“A case of assault was opened at Wera Police station where statements were recorded and the suspect is detained as inquiries and investigation into the matter is expedited,” Mr Ageca said.
The Minister who is also Member of Parliament for Amuria County described the suspect Okurut as mentally ill and that “his madness attacks him occasionally and when he suffers, he is wild and violent.”
“We have established his background information. We have confirmed that he was a mad man. His madness attacks him occasionally and when he suffers he is wild and violent,” Ecweru said.
In 2021, Ecweru was involved in an incident in which he together with his bodyguards slapped three clergy men.
The injured clergy were Simon Peter Olato, Benjamin Otasuro, and Peter Eriku.
These were beaten and sustained injuries as the minister accused them of encroaching on his land located in Wera Town Council.
He had claimed that the church encroached on the school land he lobbied for.
Witnesses at the time said the minister parked at Wera Seed Secondary School and dashed to a nearby garden where he found the priests and other Christians planting cassava stems.
