Former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) principal, Prof Waswa Balunywa, has been released from Luzira Prison after securing bail in two corruption-related cases.
The 69-year-old academic had spent three nights on remand before Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate, Racheal Nakyazze granted him temporary freedom on Friday.
In her rulings, Nakyazze allowed Prof Balunywa to regain his liberty upon depositing Shs 5 million cash in the first case where he is accused of irregularly appointing unqualified staff, and Shs10 million cash in the second case, which stems from alleged illegal mass recruitment at MUBS.
Each of his sureties was bonded at Shs50 million non-cash in the first case, and Shs100 million non-cash in the second case.
The magistrate further directed that his passport remain in court custody and a land title in his name be retained as security.
During earlier submissions, state prosecutors had opposed Prof Balunywa’s release, arguing that his sureties were too young to command his compliance with court orders.
They also cited the existence of two active case files against him as grounds to deny bail.
But the magistrate disagreed, noting that the relationship between the sureties and the accused was strong enough to keep him tied to court.
On the question of multiple cases, the magistrate emphasized that the presumption of innocence remained central to the justice process.
According to charge sheets filed by the outgoing Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo, Prof Balunywa allegedly overstepped his authority as principal of MUBS between 2020 and 2023 by appointing 103 academic staff, 17 administrative staff, and 69 support staff without following the procedures of the institution’s Appointments Committee.
In an earlier file, he is accused of recruiting three administrative assistants James Arike, Nathan Nuwagira, and Nimrod Kakayi despite their lack of requisite qualifications. The appointments allegedly caused undue financial burden to government.
Prof Balunywa is jointly charged with Jacqueline Namaganda, the former Acting Human Resource Director at MUBS, who separately faces three counts of neglect of duty for failing to vet the eligibility of the same individuals.
Former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) principal Prof Waswa Balunywa (left) stands in the dock with co-accused Jacqueline Namaganda, former Acting Human Resource Director at MUBS, at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on September 5, 2025.
Both accused persons have pleaded not guilty.
While prosecutors insisted that the professor had deliberately avoided previous court summons, his lawyers, led by Asuman Matovu, maintained that he appeared as soon as he was formally served.
Matovu also countered the argument on the age of sureties, stressing that those presented were not only responsible but also close relatives of the accused.
The court agreed with the defence and ruled in favour of bail.
Prof Balunywa retired from MUBS in May 2023, ending 26-year leadership tenure.
