By THE OBSERVER UG
Henry Katanga and wife Molly in good times
Molly Katanga shot dead her husband Henry Katanga on November 2, 2023, according to the forensic and DNA analyses presented to Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s court by the director of public prosecutions (DPP).
The prosecution argues that Molly’s DNA was found on the trigger, and the cartridges matched the pistol recovered at the crime scene. The DPP contends that there is no valid defense for the accused persons, and they should be convicted as charged. The DPP plans to rely on postmortem reports, forensic analyses, phone printouts, and scene-of-crime reports as evidence in court.
As such, chief magistrate Erias Kakooza today Monday issued an arrest warrant against Molly following a request by the prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya. The prosecution argued that Molly’s alleged sickness couldn’t be substantiated in court, and they sought the warrant based on completed investigations and urged the court to commit the case to the High court for trial.
Despite a letter from Molly’s next of kin regarding her medical condition, the magistrate proceeded to issue the arrest warrant. The order instructs the police to apprehend Molly, who is reportedly bedridden, and bring her to court next month by February 12. Molly’s lawyers mentioned her recent surgeries and hospital admission as a basis for her medical condition. Molly, along with her daughters Patricia Kakwanza and Martha Nkwanzi, faces charges of murder and destroying evidence, respectively.
Additionally, George Amanyire (a shamba boy) and Charles Otai (a health worker) are accused of being accessories to murder. According to the prosecution, Katanga was allegedly shot dead by Molly. The daughters, Nkwanzi and Kakwanzi, are accused of tampering with evidence, making it unidentifiable for judicial proceedings. Amanyire and Otai allegedly assisted the suspects in foiling the evidence and the tamper with the crime scene.
Evidence presented to the court indicates that Molly and the deceased had four children, including the two accused daughters. The deceased allegedly 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 prosecution asserts that Molly and the deceased had dinner together on November 1, 2023, but in the wee hours of November 2, a loud blast was heard, leading to the discovery of a pool of blood in the bedroom. Molly was seen standing in the doorway. Subsequently, Nkwanzi and Kakwanzi arrived, and the latter drove Molly to Bugolobi Medical Center.
“A5 [shamba boy] not believing A3’s [Nkwanzi] response called on the telephone number of the deceased to find out whether he was okay but instead Nkwanzi confronted him with the deceased phone in her hand and questioned A5’s actions of calling the deceased’s phone as opposed to cleaning the blood as instructed,” reads the committal papers.
The documents further allege that all accused persons, except Amanyire, returned home, closed themselves in the master bedroom. They later allowed him in and instructed him to lift the deceased’s body onto a small mattress before Otai called the police to report a suicide case.
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