CHRISTMAS: Knife armed man attacks priest at alter

CHRISTMAS|POLICE|CRIME

KYOTERA - A private security guard who attempted to attack a Catholic priest during Christmas Day mass has been referred to Butabika National Referral Hospital for treatment.

Gabriel Anguyo, 38, attached to New Uganda Securiko Company based in Masaka City caused panic and fear during the first mass on Christmas Day at St. Joseph Catholic Parish Matale in Kalisizo, Kyotera district when he stood up from the congregation and charged towards the priest at the altar.

However, ushers and choir members who were near intercepted the man and wrestled him down as the priest, the Rev. Fr. Joseph Bwanike stood still, awed by the motive of the ‘assailant'.

There was further panic as people who grabbed the man saw a knife in his black-hand bag and immediately called the police.

Muhammad Nsubuga, the Greater Masaka police spokesman said that the Christians called in the police that arrived at the scene and when they searched Anguyo's bag, they recovered a knife.

He said on taking him to Kalisizo police station, they received information that the same guard had on Wednesday walked to the station with his rifle and handed it over to the counter saying he was not feeling well.

According to police sources, the guard allegedly complained that he had been possessed by his family ‘spirits' and feared he would get a problem.

He said the police later informed the guard's bosses in Masaka who also wanted to contact his parents for a possible solution.

"When we discovered that he had reported himself and surrendered the gun, we contacted a medical doctor from Kalisizo who recommended the man to be taken to Butabika Hospital for treatment," Nsubuga explained.

The man dressed in a Uganda Cranes red jersey however tried to fight as the police and the Uganda Securiko tried to take him to Butabika in Kampala. 

He was chained both hands and legs to subdue him.

Before he was driven in a private car to Kampala, he said that he moved towards the priest in the name of ‘Angel Gabriel', claiming he had been possessed by the Holy Spirit to fight sin.

Fr. Bwanike however said he would wait for the authorities to investigate the matter.