Kampala, (UG);- The wife of slain businessman Henry Katanga, Molly Katanga on Wednesday appeared before the Nakawa Magistrate’s court in Kampala to face murder-related charges.
Katanga, a renowned tycoon, was felled by a bullet in November last year at their home in upscale Mbuya Hill, outskirts of Kampala city. The tragedy came after the 60-year-old was involved in an altercation with his wife Molly.
As events unfolded after the gruesome murder of the Ankole Prince, Molly was apprehended from the scene as the Ugandan investigators embarked on probing the circumstances in which Henry died. She was admitted to a hospital where she was until her arraignment to court on Wednesday afternoon.
Molly’s court appearance came court issued several summons against her which she snubbed until a warrant of arrest was issued on Monday, January 22, 2024.
On Wednesday, January 24, Molly finally surfaced and was presented before the court to face murder charges. Confined to a wheelchair, the controversial widow was ferried from the hospital to the Nakawa Court in Kampala for plea-taking.
Weak and Frail Molly
Molly, who was dressed in a Kitenge, appeared weak, with her head, which lawyers say was injured during a fight with her departed husband, wrapped in a white bandage.
Kampala Associated Advocates, the lawyers representing the widow told court that following the numerous surgeries performed on Molly, she has experienced stagnated healing in certain regions of her scalp, evidenced by persistent scabs and blackening of the region and dizziness which has impacted her mobility and comfort in general.
Investigations conclude
The state prosecution, while acknowledging the conclusion of the police investigations, sought to convince the court that Molly had malice aforethought and she thus is culpable of the act.
With the matter now referred the matter to Kampala High Court for trial of murder, court remanded Molly to Luzira Prison till February 19, 2024.
Where prosecution argues that Molly’s DNA was found on the trigger of the killer’s weapon, and the cartridges matched the pistol recovered at the crime scene, the lawyers said the absence of fingerprints on the trigger of the pistol that discharged bullets that killed Katanga could undermine the prosecution’s case.
Instead, the lawyers claim their client (Molly) was a victim of domestic violence.
The DPP said it intends to rely on postmortem reports, forensic analyses, phone printouts, and scene-of-crime reports as evidence in court.
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