A man who sneaked into a hostel and allegedly raped a student in 2015 might walk free anytime if the state fails to trace the whereabouts of the alleged victim.
Kenny Chrispus who has been in remand at Luzira prison since his arrest in March 2015 is one of the suspects appearing before Kampala high court judge Yasin Nyanzi in a criminal session of capital offenses that will last 40 days.
He was charged with rape but denied the offenses.
However, the judge could not set a date for hearing of the case after state informed court that the victim who is also the key witness is missing.
State further informed court that since they cannot trace the key witness, she needed more time to consult with the Director of public prosecutions on the said file.
This means that if state can't find the victim they might be forced to discontinue the case and ask court to discharge the suspect too.
In cases of rape and defilement, suspects usually end up escaping justice due to the disappearance of victims and their families, refusal by victims to testify or change of places .
Sometimes this is due to delayed justice forcing the victims to lose interest in the case, stigma or families of the victims settling secretly with the suspects.
Justice Nyanzi has now given state up to the 26th of this month to consult with the DPP on the case file asked prosecution about the status of the witnesses or a possible discontinue of the case .
The suspect allegedly committed the offense on 21st of March 2015 at Bilabwa hostel Makerere zone in Kawempe division within Kampala district.