Kampala — THE Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has dropped defilement charges against disaster preparedness state minister Musa Ecweru.

Ecweru had been accused of impregnating a 17-year-old girl in September last year.

Buganda Road Court resident state attorney Caroline Nabaasa yesterday told the Chief Magistrate, Vincent Mugabo, that DPP Richard Buteera instructed her to withdraw the charges.

Nabaasa said Buteera found there was no evidence to prosecute Ecweru.

"The Police commenced investigations and hit a dead end when they failed to trace the victim and the complainant who had sworn an affidavit on whose basis this case is registered," Nabaasa said.

She said the investigating team went to Amuria, Soroti and Ngora in Kumi district to trace the victim in order to record a statement, but failed to get her.

Mugabo subsequently withdrew the charges.

According to a report made by the investigating Police officers, the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) failed to provide the Police with the whereabouts of the girl.

"This state of affairs tends to suggest that the officials of FIDA did not want to cooperate or did not have the victim," the Police report stated.

Ecweru was dragged to court by private prosecution led by FIDA basing on affidavits sworn by the father of the alleged victim, Stephen Okiror.

Buteera later took over the case from FIDA.