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DNA traces of Katanga, widow and daughter found on pistol
A forensic scientist, Mr Andrew Kizimula Mubiru, testifies in court yesterday. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
A forensic scientist, Mr Andrew Kizimula Mubiru, yesterday detailed his findings in a forensic report that he carried out to establish the killers of businessman Henry Katanga, with his findings indicating that there were DNA traces of the widow, Molly Katanga, her late husband Henry and one of their daughters, Patricia Kakwanza on the suspected killer pistol. Our reporters, Anthony Wesaka & Juliet Kigongo, attended the court proceedings and now bring you the excerpts.
At 10am presiding High Court Judge Isaac Muwata walks into the courtroom.
Prosecutor Samali Wakooli: All the five accused are in court and we are ready to proceed with our witness.
Wakooli hands the witness, Andrew Kizimula Mubiru, a forensic scientist a copy of the report.
Wakooli: Last time we adjourned, you were going to take us through the interpretation of the results.
Judge: This is prosecution witness eight?
Wakooli: Yes, my lord. Kindly take us through the interpretation of the results.
Witness: My lord, there are two major categories of the DNA profiles to look at. The first category is if the DNA profile is from a single source origin and the second major category is if the genesis was mixed profile and in this case for more than one contributor.
Judge: Yes
Witness: The following specimens derived from their respective exhibits had DNA profiles from a single female source.
The evidence of these genre profiles is a billion times more likely if the suspect Molly Katanga is the donor of the DNA profiles as opposed to untested or unrelated individuals from the Ugandan population. My lord, I will read the specimen numbers and their corresponding exhibits that were derived from.
The first one is specimen 682Y23/ S002. This is from exhibit M-1, which was from the left-hand swab of Molly Katanga.
The next is specimen 682Y23/ S003 from an exhibit marked M-3 from the right-hand swab of Molly Katanga. Next is 682Y23/S006, from a specimen marked M-5, cutting from the collar of the dress.
Next is 682Y23/S008 from the cutting of the bed sheet.
Next is specimen 682Y23/ S013, which was derived from exhibit marked 9, the cutting of the swab from the bathroom door.
Next is specimen 682Y23/ S013-1 derived from exhibit 14, which is the cutting from the door handle of the master bedroom.
Next is 682Y23/, from the blood swab from the toilet inside the bedroom opposite the master bedroom.
Next is specimen 682Y23/ S013-3, derived from 16-E, this is a cutting from the blood swab from the wall to the changing bathroom, inside the master bedroom. Next is specimen, 682Y23S013-4, derived from exhibit marked 17, cutting from the blood swab from the door frame of the changing room bathroom. Next is specimen 682Y23/ S015. This is derived from exhibit marked H, a piece of hair with suspected blood stains recovered from the door frame to the washroom.
Next is specimen 682Y23/ S018, this was derived from exhibit marked 5, swab from one live ammunition recovered from the bed of the deceased. Next is 682Y23/ S204-1, derived from exhibit marked 2, and this is a swab obtained from the floor near the eastern door to the master bedroom.
Next is 682Y23/ S025, derived from exhibit marked A, cutting from the blood swab from the western wall of the wardrobe in the master bedroom near the door leading to the washroom and the dressing room. My lord, the item has been mislabelled as exhibit marked H, its specimen ID 682Y23/S205-1.
Next is specimen 682Y23/ S027, this was derived from exhibit 22-1, this was a swabbing from the door curtains of the balcony from the master bedroom.
Next is 682Y23/S208, derived from specimen Ci-1, this was a cutting from a blood swab from the concrete ceiling near the light bulb.
Next is 682Y23/S, exhibit marked J3, this is the blood swab from the northern wall near the master bed.
Next is 682Y23/ S305-3, this is derived from exhibit marked M, blood swab from the lower part
The final one, is 682Y23/ S035-3 , derived from exhibit marked Z, blood swab from near the door entry of the balcony. My lord these are exhibits and that in a billion times, the likely donor is Molly Katanga.
Wakooli: When you say a billion times, what do you mean?
Witness: My lord, we analyse the evidence, we always ask ourselves the DNA profile likely to be donored by the person or individuals listed or there is someone else in the Ugandan population, we use a statistical approach to arrive at that narrative.
Wakooli: And category B?
Witness: These profiles are single-source profiles from a male donor. The evidence of the DNA profiles is a billion times more likely if the deceased, Henry Katanga, is the donor as opposed to untested, unrelated individuals from the Ugandan population.
My lord, these are the specimens with those profiles, they are seven in number. Number one, specimen 682Y23/ S009, this was derived from exhibit marked D-6, described as cutting from pink bedcover with white, green and brown stripes.
Next is specimen ID 682Y23/ S010, derived from exhibit marked B7, cutting from the stains on the blue and black pair of shorts.
Next is 682Y23/ S011, this was derived from exhibit marked D-8, this is cutting from the stains on the blue, green, yellow, pink and orange striped pair of shorts.
Next is 682Y23/ S01, derived from exhibit D-9, cutting from stains of white bed sheets, recovered from the bedroom of the deceased.
Next is 682Y23/ S012-1, this is a cotton gauze with suspected blood stains from the deceased recovered during the postmortem.
Next is 682Y23/ S028,1, derived from MB-8 , this is a swab from the blood to the leg side of the bed frame, (out surface).
Lastly, 682Y23/S320, derived from AC, cutting from the swab of the suspected brain matter recovered from the mosquito net.
My lord, the next category under is specimen 682Y23/S304, derived from exhibit marked AP, this is a cutting from the collar area of the dress.
The DNA profile from this specimen is a single source profile and is a billion times more likely if the suspect Kakwanza Patricia is the donor as opposed to untested, related individuals in the Ugandan population.
My lord, under D, we have a specimen ID 682Y23/ S007, derived from exhibit M-6, this is a cutting from the bed sheet recovered from Molly Katanga. The DNA profile from this specimen is a mixed DNA profile of at least two donor contributors. In examining this, two sets of hypotheses were advanced;the first is that the suspect Molly Katanga and one untested individual from the Ugandan population are donor contributors.
The second hypothesis, which is the alternative to the first, is that two untested individuals who are unrelated to the suspect Molly Katanga, are donor contributors.
From the analysis we undertook; it’s billion times more likely to observe this DNA mixed profile if the major contributor is Molly Katanga and one untested individual of the Uganda population as opposed to two untested individuals from the Uganda population. Therefore, the suspect Molly Katanga cannot be excluded as a donor contributor to the specimen 682Y23/S007, derived from exhibit marked M-6.
My lord, next is Under E, we have another specimen 682Y23/S014; this is derived from exhibit marked 17-1, a dry blood particles from the door of the bathroom. We advance two sets of hypotheses. So two individuals, Molly Katanga and one untested individual from Uganda population are the donor contributors. The other is two untested individuals from the Ugandan population who are unrelated to the suspect Molly Katanga are the donor contributors.
The analysis shows that the DNA evidence is a billion times more likely if the major contributor is Molly Katanga and one untested individual from the Ugandan population as opposed to two untested individuals from the Ugandan population. Therefore, the suspected Molly Katanga cannot be excluded as a donor contributor of the mixed DNA profile on specimen 682Y23/S014 derived exhibit marked 17-1, the dry blood particles recovered from the door frame.
Next my lord, we have a specimen 682Y23/S017, derived from exhibit 4-1, that is the swabbing from the pistol magazine. The DNA profile from this specimen, is a mixed DNA profile of at least three donor contributors. In examining this profile, the following set of hypotheses were advanced.
The first being that the deceased, the suspects Molly Katanga and Patricia Kakwanza are donor contributors.
The second hypothesis is that the deceased Henry Katanga and two untested individuals from the Ugandan population, who are unrelated to the suspects Molly Katanga and Patricia Kakwanza are donor contributors.
The analysis shows that it’s a billion times more likely to observe this mixed DNA profile if the major contributor is Molly Katanga and the minor contributors are the deceased Henry Katanga and Patricia Kakwanza as opposed to the deceased and two other untested two unrelated individuals from the Ugandan population. Therefore, my lord we can infer that the suspects Molly Katanga being a major contributor and Patricia Kakwanza being a minor contributor, cannot be excluded as donor contributors to the DNA exhibit marked specimen 682Y23/ S017, derived exhibit, 4-1, a swabbing from the pistol magazine.
Continues tomorrow
