Court frees Makerere University professor accused of raping student

KAMPALA. High Court in Kampala has granted bail to Makerere University lecturer Prof. Christopher Bakuneta accused of raping his student.
Prof. Bakuneta was on Friday granted a cash bail of Shs1 million while his sureties were bonded at Sh5 million not cash.
Justice Yasin Nyanzi also ordered him to deposit in court his passport on top of reporting to court once in a month starting on November 15.
In his ruling, the judge noted that the victim had written to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) requesting court to drop the charges against Bakuneta, arguing that her claim to police against him did not amount to rape.

The letter on which Justice Nyanzi based his decision to release Prof Bakuneta on lenient terms was tendered in court by his lawyers.
"The complainant is the main prosecution witness and when you carefully read her letter. It seems like she is saying that the act was consensual. I do not see the reason as to why I should give him stringent terms or deny him bail considering the congestion in prison facilities", Nyanzi said.

In the letter that was presented to the resident state attorney at LDC court on April 5, 2016, Ntegesa stated that she had forgiven Bakuneta since they were longtime friends and that his wife and children had also pleaded with her to forgive him.
Bakuneta, was a lecturer at Makerere University College of Natural Sciences before he was indicted of rape of a female student of the institution, a one Vanesha Ntegesa who was staying in his garage.
It is alleged that on March, 27, 2016, at Makerere University in Kawempe Division, Kampala city, Bakuneta had forceful sexual intercourse with the student without her consent.