The village man who surprised the Minister of State for Works, Musa Ecweru with a hot slap in the church has been sent to a mental hospital for treatment.
Emmanuel Okurut is currently at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital receiving treatment after it was established he suffered from a mental disorder.
Two weeks ago, Okurut left everyone in shock when he attacked Minister Ecweru on the pulpit at St. Michael Catholic Church in Wera Sub County and suddenly slapped him while he delivered a speech.
Police opened investigations while the Minister paid for the suspect's mental check-up. The results concluded that Okurut was suffering from a mental illness called Bipolar disorder, a health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression).
Minister Ecweru has also offered to pay all costs for his treatment at Butabika Hospital.
Okurut's mother, Beatrice Akol, says that her son's mental condition started 12 years ago after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education, ICT from Makerere University.
“We took him to the hospital but the condition continued to deteriorate and we had to resort to prayers. In Church, we were told that he is possessed by some demons. We have been praying with him and the condition improved a little”, the mother said.
In May last year, Minister Ecweru allegedly beat up three clergymen of St. John’s Church of Uganda in Wera Sub County over land wrangles. They included Rev. Simon Peter Olato, the Parish Priest of Wera Church of Uganda, and his two lay readers; Benjamin Otasono and Simon Peter Eriku of Aten and St. John churches respectively.
Ecweru later met the religious leaders and the assaulted clergy where the matter was silenced. At the time, the Police in Wera declined to record any statement against the Minister claiming that the matter was beyond their jurisdiction.
