Katanga Murder: Bail Application For Jailed Suspects Adjourned, Molly Katanga & Daughter Set To Face Charges On January 8th

The bail application formerly extracted for the jailed suspects in the murder of city tycoon Henry Katanga didn’t take place on December, 27th at Nakawa Magistrate’s Court, after the state prosecutor failed to turn up and the matter was adjourned to 8th January 2023.

January 8th is the very day key suspect, widow Molly Katanga and daughter Nkwanzi are also expected to appear before Nakawa magistrate’s court for the first time to be formerly charged, and if possible, remanded like the rest of their co-accused.

On why the state prosecutor made no show, our independent sources cited the fact that they had agreed this application to be heard on 8th, January but the accused’s lawyers somehow managed to ‘twist’ what had been agreed in court publicly to 27th, December, that’s according to our independent sources.

“The State Attorney and the family were not in court today because the last time we were in court, court gave us 8th as the date for the bail application. That’s the same date Molly and her daughter, who claim to be in ICU for two months now will formerly be brought to court and charged,” a family member on condition of anonymity revealed.

However lawyers for the accused told our reporter that after court they formerly applied for bail application for the accused which was formerly granted and was to be heard today 27th.

“We applied formerly after court session and it was granted, that’s why we’re here, the other was oral, but this one is formal through writing,” he said.

On November 21, the chief magistrate Erias Kakooza issued criminal summons against Molly and Nkwanzi, ordering them to appear in court but they did not appear on grounds that they are still admitted at International Hospital Kampala (IHK) and Roswell Women and Children Hospital respectively.

Instead, they sent a team of lawyers to inform court that Molly Katanga was advised to be kept under the doctor’s watch due to the severe head and brain injuries and a hand fracture she suffered during the scuffle that left her husband (Katanga) dead.

The prosecution also accuses the two daughters; Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanzi of removing or destroying incriminating evidence and thus rendering them illegible for identification-well knowing that they may be required as evidence during the judicial proceeding.

The state further states that George Amanyire, the shamba boy who was at Katanga’s home at the time, and the nursing officer Charles Otai received or assisted other people who were to their knowledge liable for an offense, to enable them to escape punishment. The two are charged with being accessories after the fact (of murder).

Background

Katanga was shot dead on November 2, 2023, at Mbuya Chwa Two Road, Nakawa Division allegedly by his wife Molly Katanga with the help of their daughter Nkwanzi.

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.

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 revealed.

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 on the fateful day.

“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.

While as Katanga’s family continue to purse justice for their relative, they recently revealed that Molly Katanga who is the prime suspect is not unwell as she claims but simply lodging at IHK to frustrate the court process.

The family further accused powerful government officials of allegedly helping the widow and her daughter in disguising the murder as a suicide case, tampering with CCTV footage as well as a scene of crime.

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 offenses.