Refugee Who Attacked Bus Driver Sentenced Over Separate Machete Attack

A still from a video of police arresting Echibaketa Byamungu. Courtesy of Queensland Police Service

A Congolese refugee who previously received a suspended sentence for punching a Brisbane bus driver has been sentenced in the Brisbane District Court over a separate road rage attack involving a machete.

The machete attack occurred on Aug. 27, 2025, just one day after Echibaketa Byamungu pleaded guilty to the bus driver assault.

On Sept. 1, the Brisbane District Court heard how Byamungu and another man, Joseph Kalwisha, were driving in the suburb of Runcorn when they cut off another vehicle, sparking an argument.

Byamungu brought a machete into the confrontation, while Kalwisha allegedly threatened to kill a man and was filmed punching him.

Truck driver William Hughes witnessed the incident and began filming from his car.

Kalwisha allegedly attempted to climb the truck to take Hughes’ phone, threatening to kill him and biting him in the process.

Byamungu then approached Hughes with the machete, thrusting it through the truck’s window. He subsequently attacked other bystanders who tried to pull him away from the truck.

Byamungu pleaded guilty in the district court to eight charges, including common assault, attempted armed robbery with actual violence, assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawful possession of a category D/H/R weapon, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, possessing a drug utensil, and possessing controlled medicines or hazardous poisons.

All offences were reported in the suburb of Runcorn.

Judge Deborah Holliday sentenced Byamungu to three years’ imprisonment. Because he had already served 370 days in pre-sentence custody, his parole release date was backdated to Sept. 1, 2025, granting him immediate parole.

For the weapon and drug-related charges, Byamungu was convicted but received no further punishment, though the court ordered the forfeiture of all drug-related products.

Byamungu had previously received a suspended prison term of 18 months for the attack on the Brisbane bus driver, along with an order to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim to cover damages.

The attack on the bus driver led to Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner calling for repeat offenders to be banned from the city’s public transport.

“If you assault a driver, you should lose the right to ride,” he said at the time.

Kalwisha’s case remains before the court, and he has not yet entered a plea.

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