According to local media and the army, a government minister in Uganda, Charles Okello Engola, was shot and killed early on Tuesday by a bodyguard in what appears to be a personal dispute.
According to various sources including state broadcaster UBC, the individual who carried out the attack, and identity was identified as private Wilson Sabiiti., proceeded to use the weapon to commit suicide.
Ronald Otim, the minister’s aide-de-camp, also suffered serious injuries and was promptly taken to Mulago hospital for medical attention.
“Engola was shot at his residence in Kyanja by one of his bodyguards who allegedly fired several shots at close range. He fled from the scene up to the trading centre at Kyanja, Ring Road where he entered a salon and also shot himself dead,” police spokesperson, Fred Enanga told journalists in Kampala.
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The incident occurred in a Kampala suburb within the minister’s abode. While the cause of the attack remains unclear, local media sources have indicated that a disagreement over the salary of the bodyguard may have been a contributing factor.
According to NilePost, an online news outlet, individuals who witnessed the attack assert that the gunman was shouting that he had not received payment for an extended period, despite serving as a guard for a government minister.
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Following the incident, Betty Amongi, the Minister for Gender and Labour, was among the first government officials to arrive at the scene of the shooting. She stated to the press that the individual responsible for the attack, Sabiiti, was a new bodyguard.
“He has been working as his bodyguard for a month. He came from Bombo and joined other security guards assigned to the minister from the Ministry of Gender ad Labour,” Ms Amongi said.
Police spokesperson, Mr Enanga, said it was too early to confirm the motive of the shooting.
“The investigation is currently in the early stages of review…We don’t want to speculate into the motive of the shooting until we have confirmed,” the police spokesman said.
