The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Trial adjourned. New dates to be communicated.
SPECIAL REPORT | ANTHONY NATIF | As recorded in court, in the case Uganda Vs Molly Katanga and adapted from @TonyNatif on X.
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The trial was supposed to start on Monday after more than a month’s hiatus on account of the presiding Judge Rosette Comfort Kania’s acting judge appointment lapsing.
Her appointment has since been made permanent by President Yoweri Museveni and the trial was to resume today (Monday) but it couldn’t proceed because the prosecution team reportedly traveled abroad for an assignment.
It is yet another delay in a trial that’s seen more than 20 adjournments. This, despite the presiding Judge promising to expeditiously handle it as “a session” back in February 2025 when she invoked court discretion to deny Mrs Katanga bail despite acknowledging that she had substantial sureties.
Anyway, the matter is now 22 State witnesses in.
The latest is the Director of Medical Services in Uganda Police, Dr Moses Byaruhanga who told court that the injuries suffered by Mrs Katanga were in self defense and that she was probably hit several times with a blunt object, sustaining several injuries to the head, broken arms and extensive bleeding.
He also indicated that but for medical intervention, these injuries could have been life threatening.
The state has indicated that it has a handful of witnesses to go. They are reaching the end of their case.
To that end, as we wait for the matter to resume, we shall go back to the start of the trial and bring you a summary of the testimonies of all the 22 state witnesses.
Brief Background:
The incident that led to this trial happened on the morning of 2/Nov/2023. Police responded to a distress call from the family of Mr Henry Katanga.
They showed up and set out to investigate a suicide. For some reason that state witnesses can’t seem to explain, the investigation changed to murder.
In November 2023, while at IHK hospital undergoing life saving treatment, Mrs Molly Katanga (A1) was charged with murder of her husband, contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act.
The couple’s 2 daughters Patricia Kakawanza (A2) who, prior to the incident was preparing for her honeymoon and Martha Nkwanzi who at the time was in labor, were charged with destroying evidence, contrary to section 102 of the Penal Code Act.
A medical worker, Charles Otai (A4) who answered a distress call and rushed to the Katanga residence to offer medical help and also helped nudge police officers to come to the residence (they showed up after hours of being called) was charged with being an accessory after the fact, contrary to section 392(1) of the Penal Code Act.
Same charge was slapped on the family’s Shamba Boy whose three desperate attempts to stop Mr Henry Katanga (RIP) battering his wife were met with dismissals from the now deceased Katanga.
Mrs Katanga’s indictment happened on 21/January/2024, with the DPP claiming she had DNA evidence and all manner of evidence pinning Mrs Katanga for the crime.
It was to later be revealed, upon start of the trial, that a lot of the evidence the dPP claimed she had at indictment was only processed starting April 2024, months after Mrs Katanga and her co-accused were consigned to Luzira.
And even then, the DPP’s key expert witnesses have gone on to tell court that they didn’t find evidence to confirm a murder or rule out suicide.
These were:
-The pathologist Dr Richard Ambayo (Aug 2024)
-The Ballistics expert Mr Derrick Nassawali (March-April 2025)
-The GSR expert Dr Jaffer Kisitu (April 2025)
Summarily, the defense seems to be going with the view that the prosecution’s case hinges on speculative theories, discredited witnesses, and tainted evidence, cooked in unlicensed labs.
They’ve highlighted procedural violations, forensic gaps, and the state’s failure to disprove suicide
Molly Katanga’s defense team, with the help of admissions from state witnesses, seems to be asserting that Henry Katanga’s death aligns with suicide – not premeditated murder
It remains to be seen whether the state will turn the tide or issue a nolle prosequi
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AUGUST 18th report
Defense Passes up Opportunity to Cross-examine State Witness; Thanks Him For His Evidence.
Today, we saw something remarkable happen in the High Court of Uganda in the matter of UgandaVsMollyKatanga.
Lead Defense Attorney Peter Kabatsi, SC of @KAAdvocates stood up after… https://t.co/JdCnhp8lwm pic.twitter.com/Qiegjda8yl
— Anthony Natif (@TonyNatif) August 18, 2025
