KAMPALA – The man accused of attacking a UPDF soldier, leading to the loss of his eye has been charged with attempted murder and remanded to Gulu Central Prison.
Joseph Olidio, 35, appeared before Gulu High Court Magistrate Grade Christine Turibamwe on Wednesday who read to him the charges.
However, he was not allowed to take plea since the court lacks jurisdiction to listen to his case.
He was remanded until May 14.
Pte Alex Niwanyine, who is a bodyguard of Amuru RDC Linda Auma, was airlifted from Gulu Regional Referral Hospital on Monday on the orders of State minister for Defense Col. Charles Okello Engola
Col Engola condemned the attack and asked police to speed up the investigations into the matter.
Pte Alex Niwanyine disembarked from his boss’ vehicle at Bibia trading centre last Wednesday under instruction to go and ask three shopkeepers whose shops were still open at that time to close.
The RDC was returning to Amuru town from a security meeting at Elegu border on the fateful.
Unarmed, Pte Niwanyine advanced to the shops empty-handed to pass the instruction although as he returned to the vehicle, a man who initially sat near one of the shops pounced on him and hit his right eye with a metal object.
Mr Niwanyine was on Friday admitted at St Mary’s Hospital Lacor before being transferred to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.
At the hospital, his eyes were removed since the injury inflicted during the assault had damaged his eyeball.
Col Engola condemned the attack and asked police to speed up the investigations into the matter.
“It was gravely inhuman and so barbaric act and it should never happen again. Whatever we are doing is to protect us all against this deadly virus and the general public must appreciate it instead of attacking security personnel,” Col. Engola said.
The minister also decried the increasing cases of assault on UPDF officers and other security personnel while enforcing the lockdown.
