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Katanga case: Defence lawyers accuse witness of delaying trial
The hearing of the murder case of the late businessman Henry Katanga at the High Court in Kampala on October 3, 2024. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- This is because Ms Nyangweso issued all her three police statements in English, and is an LC1 chairperson for Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb where English is dominant.
The defence lawyers the murder case of businessman Henry Katanga have accused Ms Naume Nnyangweso, one of the sisters of the late Katanga of intentionally delaying her brother's trial by choosing to give her testimony in Runyankore instead of English, despite her proficiency in both languages.
This is because Ms Nyangweso issued all her three police statements in English, and is an LC1 chairperson for Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb where English is dominant.
During cross-examination, one of the defense lawyer Jet Tumwebaze accused Nyangweso of feigning ignorance of English language to purposely complicate court proceedings and evade questioning.
“I mean what I have said,” Ms Nyangweso said in Runyankole.
Nyangweso was asked why despite claiming to know Katanga was in danger only decided to make three statements to police after his death.
When further pinned to point out in all her statements where Katanga confided in her before his death, she failed to do so, prompting the lawyers to conclude that Naume's statement was a malicious afterthought concocted in her mind simply because she hates Katanga’s widow Molly.
Nyangweso also confirmed that she recorded that statements in a bar after 9pm.
They accuse her of always invoking the Katanga name because she allegedly want to a share of the Katanga estate.
According to Mr Tumwebaze, Naume presented herself to police as a member of the Katanga family because her sole purpose was to inherit her brother's property.
That also while giving testimony in a land dispute case between the late John Barigye and the estate of the late Arthur Edwin Katanga, Ms Naume gave evidence and testified on oath that she is a biological daughter of Late Arthur Edwin Katanga, yet she has never been.
