Kampala High Court May 13 discharged "Prophet" and leader of the World Last Message Warning Church, Wilson Bushara, over defilement charges.
It had been alleged that Bushara between August and September 18,1999 in Gomba village, Mpigi district and in Bukoto village, Luwero district, had unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl of 15 years then.
The case was dismissed after state attorney David Ndamurani told the presiding judge, Mary Maitum that the case could not continue because two principal witnesses were lacking.
"My lord, according to the return of service, the complainant Justine Mbabazi and mother of victim, disappeared from her known address and has never been seen again in her locality. Efforts to trace the victim herself, Maria Nakayima have equally proved futile," Ndamurani told court parked with his followers.
"You'll be discharged but it doesn't mean that you're acquitted. It means that when the evidence is available, you may be re-arrested and the case may still be hanging on you," the Judge said.
Bushara's case has been one of the 15 defilement cases of the total 30 criminal cases Justice Maitum started hearing May 3.
Bushara represented by Nsubuga Mubiru however didn't see his freedom as he had to be taken back to Luzira prison pending yet another defilement case not yet fixed for hearing.
Bushara, who was arrested July 18 last year in Iganga after he was flashed out of his camp in Kikamulo-Bukoto, Luwero district on Sept. 18, 1999. Bushara who attracted Media attention when he proclaimed that the world would end on June 30, 2000 and reportedly convinced his followers to sell their property and buy places in heaven revealed his connection with his said victim and his future plan for his cult.