By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Molly Katanga, the widow to the late city tycoon Henry Katanga has finally been produced to Nakawa Court in a wheelchair, following an arrest warrant issued against her on Monday. Molly is being charged with murder of her husband Henry Katanga on 2, November 2023.
Her appearance in court comes after repeatedly ignoring court summons, with her lawyers claiming her continued hospitalization and inability to attend court. The arrest warrant was issued following the recommendation of the Director Of Public Prosecutions (DPP), led by lawyer Jonathan Muwaganya. The DPP’s office presented evidence linking Molly Katanga to the crime, citing fingerprints on the killer weapon that matched her DNA.
The prosecution also emphasized that even the gun powder collected from the scene of crime corresponds very well with the said gun which bares Molly Katanga’s DNA.
According to her lawyers, Molly has reportedly been hospitalized at IHK since November 2, 2023, for injuries she allegedly sustained on the day of her husband’s shooting.
Molly’s lawyers asked court to issue an order for security personnel to leave their home and handover the keys of Henry’s car to the family. According to lawyers, the car keys and that of the master bedroom were confiscated by security who have been guarding the crime since. The magistrate agreed with Molly lawyers to allow the family members stay in their home peacefully since the investigating officers had picked all the necessary evidence needed in court.
The court not only seeks Molly’s involvement as the key suspect but also targets her daughters, Martha Nkwanzi Katanga and Patricia Kakwanza, for their alleged roles in their father’s murder on November 2, 2023, at their residence on Chwa II Road in Nakawa division. This development follows the completion of police investigations.
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Kakwanza and Nkwanzi are charged with destroying evidence while Amanyire (domestic worker at the deceased’s home) and Otai (a nursing officer who was called to the deceased’s home after the murder) are charged as accessories to the alleged murder of Katanga by his wife Molly Katanga on November 2, 2023.
In accordance with Section 102 of the Penal Code Act, conviction for the offense of destroying evidence carries a potential sentence of seven years imprisonment.
Section 393 of the Penal Code Act stipulates that being found guilty of being an accessory after the fact could result in imprisonment of up to three years.
Background Of The Saga
The saga began on November 2, 2023, when the nation woke up to the shocking news of the death of tycoon Henry Katanga who was found in a pool of blood.
The cause of his death remains controversial with his biological daughters (Martha Nkwanzi Katanga, Patricia Kakwanza) and wife Molly Bunanukye Katanga (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.
Since the investigations and court proceedings began, key suspects in the gruesome murder including Martha Nkwanzi, Patricia Kakwanza , Dr. Charles Otai, and George Amanyire, a domestic worker at the deceased’s residence have all been remanded to Luzira Prison while Molly Katanga has not been formally charged as she has not responded to all the court summons issued against her.
Up to date, Molly Katanga has remained at IHK apparently recovering from surgeries performed after she was allegedly injured during the violent fight that claimed her husband’s life.
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 Nkwanzi.
Furthermore, on the same day, Nkwanzi and Kakwanza are accused of removing or destroying potential evidence at the crime scene, with the intention of preventing its use in judicial proceedings.
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 she was remanded to Luzira prison on murder charges. At the time of the shooting, Tricia confirmed to police that she was present and revealed how her father and mother got a misunderstanding before she heard a gunshot.
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. Watch the space…..
Some Of The Photos From Nakawa Magistrate’s Court
