Security guard arrested over murder of Lay reader

Police in Kazo District have arrested a security guard for reportedly shooting dead a lay reader on Saturday night.

According to a statement released by the Rwizi regional police spokesperson, ASP Samson Kasasira, the deceased succumbed to bullet wounds shortly after arriving at a nearby clinic.

The deceased has been identified as Patrick Mutattiina, 35, a resident of Kiringa village in Kiringa Parish in Burunga Sub Country, Kazo District.

 “At around 8:05 pm, on Saturday there was a murder by a security guard who shot Mutatiina Patrick a lay reader at Nkungu Church of Uganda,” reads the statement in part.

The suspect is attached to Reserve Protection Services Security Company and was deployed at Kitura Cooperative Sacco.

 “The suspect has been apprehended and a murder weapon an SAR rifle recovered from the scene of crime,” Mr Kasasira said.

According to Mr James Kale, from the Reserve Protection Services Security Company in Mbarara, the deceased “provoked” their security guard.

“We do not support murder because the boy shouldn’t have done that, but the suspect wanted to access bank premises when it was already late and efforts by the boy to stop him were futile prompting him to act out of the ordinary,” said Mr Kale.

 “When someone is guarding SACCO premises with people’s money, they have to be very vigilant, the boy was doing his job unfortunately that accident happened,” he added.

He pledged that as a company they would contribute to the burial expenses.

A case file of murder by shooting has been opened at Nkungu Police Station where the suspect is currently held as investigations into the matter continue.