Matthew Kanyamunyu, who was convicted of the manslaughter of social worker Kenneth Akena in 2016, has been released from prison today after serving three years of his five-year sentence.

Kanyamunyu’s manslaughter charge stemmed from a fatal shooting incident following a motor accident on the Kampala Jinja Highway.

Initially facing a murder charge, Kanyamunyu’s conviction was reduced to manslaughter through plea bargaining with the Director of Public Prosecution.

His lawyer, Peter Kabatsi, stated that Kanyamunyu accepted responsibility for causing Akena’s death during a scuffle that ensued after the accident. Despite this admission, Kanyamunyu maintained that the shooting was unintentional.

In 2020, Justice Stephen Mubiru sentenced Kanyamunyu to five years and one month in prison, taking into account his status as a first-time offender and his actions in taking the victim to the hospital after the shooting. Due to remission, Kanyamunyu served three years and five months of his sentence.

Before his sentencing, Kanyamunyu participated in a traditional Acholi ritual known as Mato Oput, during which he reportedly confessed to killing Akena. As part of the ritual, Kanyamunyu was required to pay ten cows and three goats to the elders of the Acholi Chiefdom.

Kanyamunyu’s release from prison today marks the conclusion of a legal saga that has spanned several years and sparked debates about justice and accountability in Uganda’s legal system.