Katanga trial resumes after one month adjournment

The High Court in Kampala has resumed trial of Kampala businesswoman Molly Katanga and four others, with the defense expected to continue poking holes into prosecution evidence in her husband Henry Katanga’s death as the seventh witness prepares to take the stand.

Ms Katanga, who has consistently maintained her innocence, is accused of shooting her husband, Henry Katanga, on November 3, 2023, at their residence on Chwa II Road in Mbuya—a charge her defense team also vehemently denies. While the prosecution has called in the witness stand two police officers, a family member, a police doctor, and a lawyer to testify, painting Katanga as a family man devoted to his children and friends, the defense remains resolute in its position that the accusations against the 56-year-old widow lack credible evidence.

The defense has pointed out significant flaws in the prosecution's case, including the alleged mishandling of evidence. 
The prosecution says that the couple's two daughters, Patricia Kakwanzi and Martha Nkwanzi, helped their mother clean up evidence. However, the defense argues that these accusations are speculative and not substantiated by reliable proof.

Kakwanzi, Nkwanzi, the family's shamba boy George Amanyire and a nursing officer Charles Otai, are all facing charges of being accessories to the offence. 
They were all granted bail as hearing continues while Ms Katanga remains on remand.

The hearing had been adjourned for a month after prosecution asked to secure a Runyankore interpreter for Katanga's sister, Naomi Nyangweso. The defense team caused a stir in the courtroom when they exposed the sixth prosecution witness, Ronald Mugabe Ruranga, as an alleged impostor and fraud. The defense pointed out that Ruranga's name was missing from the official list of enrolled advocates, calling into question the legitimacy of his testimony. Judge Isaac Muwata, recognizing the gravity of the defense’s claims committed to investigate the matter further before making a ruling.

In a related development, the police have been given notice to vacate Katanga's office at the Co-operative Alliance Building on Nkurumah Road. A letter from the building's landlord has given the police an ultimatum to either vacate or pay rent if they intend to retain the office as a crime scene.

As the trial unfolds, the defense team says they are steadfast in its efforts to discredit the prosecution's case, highlighting inconsistencies and raising questions about the integrity of the investigation. With the court's decision to adjourn the trial for a month, all eyes are now on the judge’s forthcoming ruling on the credibility of key witnesses and the prosecution's evidence. The outcome of this case could hinge on the defense’s ability to dismantle the prosecution’s narrative, leaving the public and legal community anticipating the next phase of this high-profile trial.