MASAKA – Rev. Fr Richard Mugisha, the Bisanje Catholic Parish priest in Masaka Diocese, has been summoned by police on accusations of beating to death a suspected thief.
According to police, Fr. Mugisha teamed up with villagers and beat up Ronald Kyeyune, 30, who wanted to steal the priest’s car.
Fr Mugisha is the same priest, who in a video clip that went viral ahead of the 2021 General Election, asked Ugandans to vote for change.
The southern regional police spokesperson, Mr Muhammad Nsubuga, said the suspect died as he was being taken to hospital.
But Fr Mugisha, and witnesses disputed this narrative, telling the police that the suspect was not even beaten up.
Fr Mugisha in an interview with this website on Saturday said by the time he reached the crime scene, the residents had tied the suspect and called police.
“I did not kill anyone, by the way, I would be the one complaining because the windscreen of my vehicle was vandalised,” he said.
He explained that he had sent his lawyer to honour police summons and that his police bond was extended to October 21.
Mr Joseph Mutayomba, the LC1 chairperson of the Bisanje Village, who has also been summoned by police on murder charges, said they were attracted to Fr Mugisha’s residence when they heard a car hooting several times.
He said when they reached the scene; they found the suspected thief had smeared himself with motor vehicle oil.
He said they only tied him up and called the police. “It is not true that the suspect was flogged the suspect to death because he was taken by the police when he was still alive,” he said.
In the run-up to the 2021 General Election, Fr Richard Mugisha, in a video clip that went viral, asked Ugandans to vote for change.
The youthful priest condemned top government officials for not prioritising issues affecting Ugandans, but instead focus on themselves.
Fr Mugisha accused President Museveni of failing to stick to his promise of relinquishing power after clocking 75 years.
The priest also wondered why government proposes to construct roads in the neighbouring DR Congo yet there are still many poor roads in the countryside.