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Internet failure forces judge to adjourn Katanga murder trial
Ms. Molly Katanga (right), the key suspect in the murder of her husband Henry Katanga, speaks to one of her lawyers Bruce Musinguzi at the High Court in Kampala on July 2, 2024. PHOTO | ABUBAKER LUBOWA.
What you need to know:
- The key suspect, Ms Molly Katanga was appearing via video link from the confines of Luzira Women’s wing on grounds of ill-health as she can’t appear physically in the court.
- Ms Katanga’s co-accused who are all out on bail, had their bail extended as she remains on remand at Luzira prison.
Internet connection failure on Tuesday forced High Court judge Isaac Muwata to adjourn the high profile murder trial in which five people are charged with the murder of Kampala businessman Henry Katanga.
The case had resumed Tuesday morning after a month’s adjournment.
However, hardly five minutes into the day’s proceedings, the internet connection started failing.
The key suspect, Ms Molly Katanga was appearing via video link from the confines of Luzira Women’s wing on grounds of ill-health as she can’t appear physically in the court.
Before adjourning the proceedings, the presiding judge was forced to stand over the matter for about an hour, hoping that the court technicians would sort out the internet connection failure in a short time possible but in vain.
Despite the court reconvening after about an hour, the internet failure persisted, forcing the judge to adjourn the hearing to tomorrow (August 21).
The prosecution led by Ms Samali Wakooli had told the court of how she was ready to present three witnesses to testify against the five suspects.
The seventh witness, Richard Abayo, (48), a pathologist believed to have opened up and examined the body of the late Katanga, had already taken to the witness stand when the internet frustration started.
On November 2, 2023, Katanga was found dead at his Mbuya residence in Kampala before his wife, Molly Katanga was arraigned in court as a key suspect. She has since denied the murder charge slapped against her.
She is jointly charged alongside her two daughters; Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza, who both face lesser charges of destroying evidence and being an accessory after the alleged murder.
The other co-accused are Charles Otai, a medic and George Amanyire, a shamba boy.
Ms Katanga’s co-accused who are all out on bail, had their bail extended as she remains on remand at Luzira prison.
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