By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: Molly Bunanukye Katanga, the key suspect in the murder of city business man Henry Katanga has this morning been denied bail by High Court sitting in Kampala.
Molly and her swam of city renowned lawyers have instead been advised to prepare for the main case hearing which is beginning soonest.
In her bail application, Molly contends that she sustained injuries which require a lot of specialized post-operative care for her recovery, which is not available in prison adding that she was under detention while admitted at IHK hospital and she could not access the medical attention she needed.
Furthermore, she contends that she of advanced age (55 years) and that she has always been a law-abiding citizen who has never been charged or convicted of any criminal offence.
During last week’s proceedings, Molly’s Lawyers presented sureties including; John Patrick Kaboyo, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Emmanuel Nyamunywanisa, Minister Margaret Muhanga and Geoffrey Kamuntu.
In response, however, prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya contested Dr. Patrick Kaboya and Gen. Emmanuel Burundi as sureties citing their advanced age ranging between 70 to 77 years.
Furthermore, Muwaganya also rejected Geoffrey Kamuntu as one of the sureties noting that he was under investigations by the police case number SD 14/12/12/2023 for allegedly impeding justice by stationing Special Forces Command (SFC) personnel at Molly Katanga’s hospital room while she was still admitted at IHK, thereby preventing investigators from accessing her.
Muwaganya also contends that Molly was admitted at IHK hospital under a private special arrangement for protection by officers of Special Forces Command (SFC) attached to Kamuntu, and this deployment impeded and obstructed police investigations in the main case and if released, she is capable of obstructing the investigations especially now that the case is set for hearing on July 2nd, 2024.
While delivering his ruling today, High Court Judge Isaac Muwata dismissed Molly’s application contending that she has not proved exceptional circumstances as required under the law such as being of advanced age and requiring medical attention that cannot be managed in prison.
The Judge further noted that the Prison’s Medical officer who is required to prove that one’s condition cannot be handled has not acknowledged so, therefore the court does not find it reasonable to have her released on the issue of medical needs.
He added that since she is already committed for trial and there is no likelihood of delay, Molly and her lawyers should instead prepare their defense for trial of the murder case against her which is already fixed for hearing.
Molly who has been on remand since February has pleaded not guilty in the death of her husband.
Background
According to prosecution, Molly Katanga, with malice aforethought, killed her husband on November 2 at Mbuya, Chwa 2, in Nakawa Division, with the help of their daughter Martha Nkwanzi.
Furthermore, on the same day, their daughters (Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza) are accused of removing or destroying potential evidence at the crime scene, with the intention of preventing its use in judicial proceedings.
Unlike Molly Katanga who is still on remand, her daughters and other suspects including Dr. Charles Otai, a nursing officer and George Amanyire, a domestic worker at the deceased’s residence were remanded to Luzira Prison and later granted bail on 24 February 2024.
The incident happened after an alleged misunderstanding with his wife whom he worked with at their procurement and supplies firm called MERGE which had penetrated the system and would transact with government agencies with huge classified budgets.
A police report referenced SD21/02/11/2023 at Bugolobi police station indicates that Katanga was shot at close range and that no bullets and fragments were recovered after Katanga’s body which was delivered at the city mortuary on November 2.
The report further indicates that Katanga’s body was wrapped in a mattress cover, stuffed in a vehicle, and transported to Mulago hospital mortuary.
The details of who moved the body remain a subject of ongoing police investigations.
Police said it retrieved a pistol number UG1622200061CZ99 compact that is suspected to have been used in the commission of the crime.
Shortly after his death, inside sources revealed that Katanga was allegedly murdered hours before he appended his signature on a WILL that he had prepared a week earlier and kept it in a safe box inside his office.
Sources further noted that Katanga had prepared the necessary paperwork documenting all his wealth and had only shared that secret with his sister, Naome Nyangweso and his lawyer.
At the time of his death, another source within the family revealed that Katanga had just made a transaction of shs16 billion.
“Besides working with Molly, he had other different lines of making his own money including money lending. He had so far gotten shs16 billion,” a source who preferred anonymity revealed at the time.
Katanga had been taking care of a number of orphans of his dead siblings and loved them as his own children including the two children of his sister Naome; Timothy Nyangweso and Marjorie Nyangweso.
Relatives highly anticipate that Katanga was planning to distribute all his property equally in a WILL among his biological children and other orphans which could have annoyed whoever pulled the trigger to end his life.
“The plan was to kill him that very day because there was no time to wait since he was planning to leave home and sign the papers,” another relative said.
According to Naome, Katanga’s lawyer was aware of the death threats that his client was facing and his death did not surprise him that is why he(Katanga) was racing against time to finish the WILL which was never a success.
While as Katanga could have prepared and signed the WILL a little earlier, he was busy with arrangements for giveaway and wedding functions for his foster daughter Patricia alias Tricia for over two weeks.
Tricia is among the suspects and the time of the shooting, she confirmed to police that she was present and revealed how her father and mother got a misunderstanding before she heard a gunshot.
Katanga’s cause of death remains controversial with his biological daughters wife Molly Bunanukye (widow now) pointing to domestic violence, while other close relatives claim that family property disputes may have led to his tragic death causing a deep division within the family.
Katanga was one of the Ankole princes while his wife Molly is a relative and close confidant to key government and security officials who are allegedly trying to save her from facing murder charges.
