The High Court in Mbarara has ordered the release of 55-year-old Alfred Byamukama, a resident of Rwampara District, who has spent nearly three decades in prison without ever appearing before a court.
Byamukama was arrested in 1997 over allegations of murder. Authorities claimed he struck a fellow villager on the head with a stick during a fight, and the victim died on the way to hospital. At the time of the incident, Byamukama was reportedly battling a mental health condition.
However, despite the serious nature of the allegations, he was never formally charged or taken to trial. He remained in detention for 28 years.
Delivering the ruling on Monday, Justice Joanita Bushara condemned the prolonged detention, calling it a serious violation of Byamukama’s constitutional right to a fair and timely hearing.
She ordered his immediate release, noting that no citizen should be deprived of their liberty without due process.
