Katanga trial: Court reviews graphic video footage
Ms Molly Katanga, the key suspect in the murder of her husband, businessman Henry Katanga, is wheeled into the High Court premises in Kampala on July 3, 2024. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The high-profile case has gripped Uganda since Henry Katanga, a prominent businessman, was found dead at his Mbuya home last November.
Court in Kampala on Tuesday admitted police crime scene reconstruction videos as evidence in the ongoing murder trial of Molly Katanga, shedding new light on the injuries she sustained the morning her husband, businessman Henry Katanga, was found dead.
The High Court in Kampala resumed hearings with the fourteenth prosecution witness, a veteran translator and transcriber from the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), whose identity was withheld for security reasons.
“I have no objection. Let us respect PW14’s request not to publish her name and face,” said presiding judge Rosette Comfort Kania.
Led by State Attorney Jonathan Muwangaya, the witness testified that she was tasked with transcribing footage from two police flash drives labeled KP1 and OC1, submitted via a formal request dated April 2, 2024.
“My assignment involved transcribing video recordings from the flash drives, which were verified for audibility and visibility before I began,” she said.
She added: “The work was done in a soundproof studio using headphones, and the final transcript was reviewed and signed on UBC headed paper.”
She confirmed the recordings were in English and that her transcription was verbatim.
One of the videos, labeled OC1, features Dr. Charles Otai, a medic and one of the accused, describing to police investigator Bibiana Akong how Molly Katanga arrived at Bugolobi Medical Centre on the morning of November 2, 2023.
“Molly was bleeding profusely with a very deep head wound, broken wrists, and a nearly severed finger,” Otai is heard saying. “She looked disoriented, was in extreme pain, and could not sit.”
Otai told investigators that Molly Katanga had been brought in by her daughter, Patricia Kakwanza, who allegedly said her mother had been in an accident. The injured woman was later referred to International Hospital Kampala (IHK) for further treatment.
Defence lawyer Peter Kabatsi objected to the videos being shown without prior access by the defence team.
“We do not have these flash drives. It will be very crucial to view them before they are played in court,” he submitted.
Judge Kania allowed the defence time to review the material.
“We should not waste the court’s time. If needed, we can improvise, but the defence has a right to watch the videos before court does,” she said.
The high-profile case has gripped Uganda since Henry Katanga, a prominent businessman, was found dead at his Mbuya home last November.
Molly Katanga is charged with his murder. Her daughters, Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza, are charged with destroying evidence and being accessories after the fact.
Businessman Henry Katanga's murder suspects including his two children Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza, plus shamba boy George Amanyirwe and nurse Charles Otai appear in the High Court in Kampala on July 2, 2024 on the first day of trial over the murder. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Otai and George Amanyire, a shamba boy at the Katanga residence, face similar charges.
