By CHIMPREPORTS
The High Court in Kampala is set to deliver its verdict on the bail application for Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza, the daughters of the late businessman Henry Katanga, alongside two other suspects.
Nkwanzi and Kakwanza face charges related to the destruction of evidence at the scene of Katanga’s murder, while Charles Otai, a nurse, and George Amanyire, a shamba boy, are accused of being accessories after the fact of the murder.
In their bail application, Nkwanzi and Kakwanza assert their constitutional right to bail, emphasizing their innocence and eagerness to prove it. Nkwanzi specifically mentions her role as a new mother with a breastfeeding baby who requires her care.
Amanyire and Otai highlight their responsibilities as the sole breadwinners for their families.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), represented by State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya, urged Justice Isaac Muwata to reject the bail application, stating that the state is prepared for trial and has secured witnesses.
The DPP also called for stringent bail conditions, proposing that the suspects’ sureties be bonded for at least Shs100m. Additionally, the suspects must deposit land titles and passports and report to the court registrar on a weekly basis.
This marks the 11th attempt by the suspects to secure bail, with the DPP consistently opposing their requests. Citing a Supreme Court decision from the 2006 case of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) versus the Attorney General, the defense lawyers argued that the suspects qualify for mandatory bail, having been on remand for over 60 days, whereas the law stipulates a decision within 30 days.
The lawyers further contended that the case against the suspects is triable by the magistrates court, where they previously sought bail seven times unsuccessfully.
In a recent legal dispute between the defense lawyers and the DPP, the defense accused the DPP of hindering the bail process.
Katanga, a prominent moneylender, was discovered dead on the morning of November 2, 2023, in his bedroom at his residence in Mbuya, Kampala.
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