Katanga murder case: 9th witness says domestic violence was reported

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The prosecution on Friday presented its ninth witness in the ongoing murder trial of businessman Henry Katanga, which is presided over by Judge Isaac Muwata. This follows a month-long cross-examination of police Director of Forensics Andrew Mubiru Kizimula. Naome Nyangweso, Katanga’s 65-year-old elder sister, took the stand and provided testimony.

Nyangweso recounted the events of November 2, 2023, when she received a phone call from the family’s houseboy, George Amanyiire, informing her of a physical fight between Katanga and his wife, Molly, in their bedroom. A subsequent call from Amanyiire delivered the devastating news of Katanga’s death, with no further details provided at the time.

Nyangweso alleged that Katanga had previously confided in her about his suspicions regarding Molly’s actions, which included trailing his vehicle and tapping his phones. She claimed that prior to his death, Katanga had entrusted her with a safe containing important documents, such as land titles and business records. She also stated that the day before his death, Katanga had been scheduled to meet with his lawyer to draft his will.

This lawyer, Ronald Mugabe Ruranga, took the stand as the sixth prosecution witness a few months ago to provide insight into Katanga’s legal dealings. However, under cross-examination, Ruranga struggled to provide specific details about his legal practice and his involvement in Katanga’s transactions. He also claimed to have received a call from Katanga on November 30, 2023, but was unable to produce any documents to substantiate this claim, casting doubt on the reliability of his testimony.

In an earlier session, Naome’s son, Timothy Nyangweso, a presenter at state broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Services (UBC), also took the witness stand. His testimony quickly came under scrutiny by the defense, which questioned his credibility. Defense lawyers pointed out several inconsistencies in his recorded statement, particularly his claim that he called one of Katanga’s daughters on the day of the incident. During cross-examination, the defense presented call data records that showed no evidence of any such call from Timothy’s number, further weakening his credibility as a witness.

The defense continues to argue that escalating domestic violence, rather than premeditated murder, led to the tragic death of businessman Henry Katanga.