By Andrew Irumba Katusabe [Sankara]
Kampala:The murder trial of widow Molly Katanga took a dramatic turn yesterday, Thursday, as prosecution witness number 28, Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Rashida Naluzze, admitted in court that Molly was charged before a formal statement was obtained from her, and at a time when she was still hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at IHK Hospital, Kampala.
This revelation came during cross-examination by defense lawyer Elison Karuhanga of KAA, who sharply criticized the procedure as being contrary to established legal standards. “So you charged her from hearsay—what the public was saying is what you based on to charge her?” Karuhanga challenged, questioning the foundation upon which the grave murder charges had been built.
The Katanga case has been one of Uganda’s most followed high-profile murder cases, following the mysterious death of Tycoon Henry Katanga, a respected businessman and husband to Molly. He was reportedly found dead under suspicious circumstances in their home, which sparked a whirlwind of speculation, media frenzy, and intense police investigations.
Molly Katanga, who herself sustained injuries—including a missing finger—on the night of the incident, was rushed to IHK Hospital where she spent days in critical condition, unable to speak or record a statement.
Yet according to AIP Naluzze, a then-detective at Katwe Police Station and now the Regional CID Officer for Busoga North, police proceeded to charge Molly while she was still admitted and unable to communicate.
Defense counsel Karuhanga also accused the prosecution of ambushing the defense team with undisclosed evidence in court, calling it a clear violation of the rights of the accused to prepare an adequate defense. “The law directs you to provide all information in your custody against our client so that we can prepare. But now you’re bringing information to court that we don’t even have a copy of, yet you expect us to respond,” Karuhanga argued.
Molly Katanga’s Statement: “I don’t even remember what happened”
As part of her testimony, AIP Naluzze read out the statement she eventually recorded from Molly Katanga, which painted a picture of a woman unaware of the chaos surrounding her until days later.
In her statement, Molly claimed she and her husband slept in the same bed the night before his death and that they had never had any serious marital issues in their decades of marriage. She stated she had no memory of the events of that day, and only learnt of Henry’s death later from her lawyer, Jet Mwebaze, while she was still under hospital care.
Molly declined to give detailed commentary during the statement recording, saying she was not in the right mental or physical state to fully explain and would give a more comprehensive account in court later.
The statement, according to AIP Naluzze, was recorded in the presence of her lawyer Jet Mwebaze, further bolstering the defense’s claim that the prosecution acted prematurely and possibly unethically in charging her before proper procedures were followed.
Legal Implications
The testimony has raised fresh questions about the legality and fairness of the criminal process in high-profile cases. Human rights advocates and legal experts are already weighing in, arguing that charging a suspect while incapacitated violates fundamental principles of natural justice.
The case has been adjourned to June 30th, when the defense is expected to push further on these procedural irregularities. Legal watchers anticipate the possibility of a motion to dismiss or suppress certain evidence, given the controversy now surrounding its acquisition.
