Who Killed Businessman Henry Katanga? Widow Molly Katanga Denies Killing Him Despite Fingerprints On Killer Pistol, Workers Reveal Secrets

Ms Molly Katanga, widow of businessman Henry Katanga, has denied killing him as the murder trial started before the High Court in Kampala today.

Ms Katanga, in a silk-brown African print dera, was carried into the court and helped into a wheelchair by prison wardresses.The whole process took several minutes as she looked to be in difficulties to move her lower limbs.

Ms Katanga was discovered unconscious with severe injuries to the head on November 2, 2023 – the day her husband Henry Katanga was found dead in the bedroom of the family home on Chwa II Road in Mbuya.

She has had to undergo at least three surgeries and during her initial appearance in court, her head was wrapped in medical bandage but today, she had it neatly wrapped with a white headcloth.

Justice Isaac Muwata read the murder charges to the accused who, behind her surgical mask, said she understood the charges read but denied them.Her two daughters Patricia Kankwanzi and Martha Nkwanzi also denied charges of destroying evidence that would be used in the judicial trial for the murder of their father.

The family’s house-help George Amanyire and nurse Charles Otai also denied charges of being an accessory after the fact of murder. Meanwhile, Judge Muwata’s Criminal Division of the High Court has stood over proceedings to look for a Rutoro language interpreter after Mr Amanyire said he prefers the trial to be conducted in Rutoro, a language he understands best.

The highly-publicised Katanga murder trial started today after exactly eight months of rollercoaster legal activities, including two bail hearings that were denied, a goose errand chase for total disclosure of pre-trial documents and the judge locking journalists out of the pre-trial hearing.

Meanwhile, The High Court has adjourned the case against Molly Katanga, until July 3rd, when the judge will rule on a prosecution request to amend the indictment.

The prosecution seeks to add new charges and suspects to the indictment, but defense lawyers argue that this would be unjust and prejudicial, as the accused persons were not committed to the High Court for trial on those charges

.The defense team, comprising Kabasi Peter, Jet Tumwebaze, Kabega MacDusman, Elison Karuhanga, Bruce Musinguzi, Zuraic Kasanjja, and Annat Nabaggala, cited the case of Byansi, which established that no amendment is permitted if it would be prejudicial to the accused.

They argued that the prosecution’s request would effectively smuggle new charges into the indictment, which would be unfair to the accused.The prosecution, led by Wakoli, relied on Section 50(2) of the Trial on Indictments Act (TIA), which allows the court to order alterations to an indictment if it is defective.

They argued that the merits of the case require the amendment and that no injustice would be occasioned, as the trial has not yet started.The judge adjourned the case until July 3rd, when he will deliver his ruling on the prosecution’s request.

The court also allowed Molly Katanga to attend the trial via Zoom due to her medical condition.