Ibanda butcher hacks policeman enforcing animal quarantine
What you need to know:
- Since January 19, Ibanda District has been under quarantine due to an anthrax disease outbreak.
Police in Ibanda are investigating circumstances under which 50-year-old butcher man Kelesensio Mwesigye cut 34-year-old policeman Justus Najuna on the neck as the officer and his colleagues were enforcing restrictions to curb animal disease spread in the district.
Authorities said the involved policemen booked out of Ibanda Central Police Station (CPS) to Mabonwa at around 3am on Saturday after learning of people who are illegally slaughtering animals and supplying meat likely to cause the spread of anthrax disease or Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
“The team arrived at Mabonwa at exactly 5am and took cover up to 7am when the suspects had finished slaughtering and skinning a cow. The team moved to the suspects, introduced themselves as officers from Ibanda CPS, five suspects accepted they were in the wrong and put down their pangas and knives,” Ibanda police in charge Oumo Cooper said in a statement.
He added: “Another suspect came from the banana plantation with banana leaves and cut the police officer on the neck. The police officer fell down and the suspect followed him to cut him again but PC Okello Mondry rescued him (policeman) by releasing a bullet which hit the suspect on the thigh and he fell down.”
Police say exhibits including meat, pangas and knives plus on-scence photographs have been obtained.
The suspect had been apprehended even as both the suspect and injured policeman were admitted at Ruhoko Health Centre IV on Saturday.
Speaking to Monitor, Ibanda RDC Caleb Tukaikiriza decried businessmen flouting restrictions.
“The incident was unfortunate, but we shall hold the suspect accountable because he now has two cases to answer; one for breaching government’s law and for harming a policeman on duty,” Tukaikiriza said.
Vowing further crackdowns, Tukaikiriza further warned that: “Since we put restrictions, we are trying to apprehend those that will not follow the laws because we are all in this together to ensure that we fight and defeat the spread of foot and mouth disease and anthrax.”
