The widow of slain Kampala tycoon Henry Katanga who was brought to the Nakawa Magistrate court in a wheelchair to answer charges regarding her involvement in the murder of her husband Henry Katanga on 2nd November 2023 has been remanded to Luzira prisons.
Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Elisa Kakooza who even issued the warranty of arrest that forced Molly out of IHK hospital where had been confined since early November heard that 55-year-old Molly Katanga on November 2nd November 2023 at Mbuya Chwa II road, Nakawa Division in Kampala with malice aforethought murdered Henry Katanga by shooting him dead with a pistol.
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Since the court has no jurisdiction to try her, the charges were only communicated to her and the prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya informed the Court that the investigations were complete and asked court to commit her to the high court for trial.
Molly Katanga has been on wanted since early November 2023 and has been snubbing court since then. Even her daughter Martha Nkwanzi had snubbed court severally in the pretext of breast feeding her now three months baby until a warranty of arrest was issued. She was brought to court two weeks ago and has also been committed to the high court for trial alongside her sister Patricia Kakwanza and two others who are also in jail.
After reading the evidence the court which the court intends to use against her, Molly’s lawyers led by Peter Kabatsi asked the court to issue an order to prisons such that there’s continued management of their sick clients in liaison with the cooperation of the IHK doctors who have been tending to her. Kabatsi further says that his client has undergone five consecutive injuries although she’s progressively recovering, she still needs medical attention.
Molly’s Lawyer further added that the home of the accused has since the incident not been accessible to the family and asked that since investigations are complete, they should be allowed to access it. MacDusman Kabega who is also Molly’s lawyer added that the areas has remained cordoned off even when the police were through with whatever they wanted to pick from the scene of crime and he asked court to order police to vacate the premises.
Magistrate Kakooza has directed the prison officers to make sure that Molly Katanga’s doctors access her while in prison. He has also ruled that the family members shouldn’t be blocked by security from accessing their home and subsequently remanded Molly Katanga to Luzira prison until such a time when the High Court will be ready to try her.
Relatedly, on Wednesday morning, the High Court Criminal Division judge Isaac Muwata fixed January 29th 2024 to hear the bail application for Molly’s co-accused persons. Molly is accusing along with her daughters Patricia Kakwanza and Martha Nkwanzi all face charges of murder and destroying evidence respectively. The others are Amanyire George (a shamba boy) and Charles Otai (a healthy worker) are accused of being accessories to murder.
The daughters, Martha and Patricia are accused of tampering with evidence, making it unidentifiable for judicial proceedings while Amanyire and Otai allegedley assisted others involved in the crime.
Evidence presented to the court indicates that Molly and the deceased had four children, including the daughters involved in he trial. The deceased expressed concerns about his safety before his death, fearing he was being tracked by his wife. He had taken precautions such as changing phone passwords and acquiring a new private telephone line.
The prosecutions further asserts that Molly and the deceased had dinner together on November 1st, 2023 but the next day, only Molly was found in their bedroom. A loud blast was heard, leading to he discovery of blood in the bedroom. Molly was seen standing in the doorway. Subsequently, Nkwanzi and Kakwanza arrived, and the latter drove Molly to Bugolobi medical centre.
“A5 not believing, A3’s response by calling the telephone number of the deceased to find out whether he was okay but instead Nkwanzi confronted him with the deceased’s phone in her hand and questioned A5’s actions of calling the deceased’s phone as opposed to cleaning the blood as instructed,”-read a narration in he committal papers.
The documents presented to court further allege that all accused persons, except Amanyire returned home, closed themselves in the master bedroom, and later allowed him inside. They instructed him to lift the deceased’s body onto a small mattress before Otai called the police to report a suicide case.
The Director of Public Prosecutions plans to rely on postmortem reports, forensic analyses, phone printouts and scene of crime reports as evidence in court.
The prosecution argues that Molly’s DNA was found on the trigger, and the cartridges matched the pistol recovered at the scene of crime. The DPP contends that there is no valid defense for the accused persons and they should be convicted as charged. Once found guilty of murder, the highest punishment for murder is also death.
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