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Hearing of Entebbe women murder case kicks off
What you need to know:
- Court adjourned the case to January 9 for further hearing while Katongole and his co-accused were further remanded.
- Mr Katongole, a fish exporter at Kasenyi landing site, Mr Kizito and Ms Nabaggala are accused of killing Nakimuli, a hair dresser in Kitala village in Katabi Town Council.
- Nakimuli's body was discovered in a banana plantation with sticks stuffed in her private parts a day after her murder on July 24, 2017.
KAMPALA. The High Court on Friday started hearing of a case against businessman Ivan Katongole is accused of masterminding the murder of two women in Entebbe, Wakiso District.
Court heard that two motor vehicles owned by Katongole were impounded and taken to Entebbe police station after detectives were told by their intelligence team that they were used to transport the body of one Rose Nakimuli, a hairdresser.
In his testimony, prosecution witness ASP Charles Ndabangutse told court that he was informed by detective Mike James, an intelligence officer that a black Kluger Registration number UAY 802B was used to carry Nakimuli‘s body.
“Detective James informed me that Katongole and one of his co-accused Andrew Kizito were near the crime scene and they drove away after some time. I searched the vehicle and did not find anything but I subjected them (two vehicles) to the forensic examination but we are still waiting for the report,” Mr Ndabangutse told court.
However, when he was asked by one of the defence lawyers, Mr Evans Ochieng during cross examination on whether he had indicated in his statement the names of detective James as the person who gave him information about the two vehicles, Mr Ndabangutse said that he did not do so and that the cars are still parked at Entebbe police station.
When the trial judge Wilson Kwesiga asked Mr Ndabangutse whether he found anything interesting in the case, he answered saying there was nothing interesting.
Court also heard from the deceased’s husband Mr Anatoli Ndyabagenyi, a business consultant that he last saw his wife alive on the night of July 22, 2017 before leaving for his second home at Kawafu -Kabaale Parish, Wakiso District. They had stayed together for about 18 months.
Ndyabagenyi, who was the first prosecution witness told court on July 24, 2017 that as he was preparing to go to work, he received a phone call from his neighbour in Kitala telling him to quickly go over .
“While left with a few meters to reach my Kitala residence I saw people and policemen gathered in a nearby garden looking at a dead body of a half-naked woman which was lying with its face down. I saw a jumper (kind of a sweater) that I knew very well as that belonged to my wife hanging on a cassava plantation from which I managed to identify the deceased ,” Ndyabagenyi narrated.
Ndyabagenyi told court that one of the suspects, Kizito owned a bar that him (Ndyabagenyi) and the late Nakimuli used to frequent while Nabaggala (also a suspect) was introduced to him by Nakimuli as a cousin.
On Friday, Ndyabagenyi further testified that he saw Nabaggala at the crime scene and asked her to inform Nakimuli's parents at Kaleemera in Mukono District but she replied that she could not contact anyone since she had lost her phone.
Ndyabagenyi told court that after burial, he got a phone call from Nakimuli's half-sister, one Nanteza asking him to do whatever it takes to contact Nabaggala because police had named her as a key suspect in the deceased's murder.
“I tricked her to come to my home at Kitala where police arrested her from,” he said.
Prosecution has handed in two exhibits, including a post mortem report from Mulago hospital which indicates Nakimuli to have died due to excessive bleeding and manual strangulation and medical examination reports regarding the mental state of the three suspects.
The other prosecution witness, ASP Joseph Ssekitoleko told court that he only knew Mr Katongole as a businessman at Kasenyi landing site.
Mr Katongole, a fish exporter at Kasenyi landing site, Mr Kizito and Ms Nabaggala are accused of killing Nakimuli, a hair dresser in Kitala village in Katabi Town Council.
Nakimuli's body was discovered in a banana plantation with sticks stuffed in her private parts a day after her murder on July 24, 2017.
Court adjourned the case to January 9 for further hearing while Katongole and his co-accused were further remanded.
