KAMPALA, UGANDA – Defence lawyers in the high-profile murder trial of Molly Katanga have grilled Ms. Naome Nyangweso, a key witness over her visits to Kigo Prison to meet George Amanyire, the family’s former shamba boy.
Defence lawyer Jet Tumwebaze presented evidence from the prison’s visitors’ log, showing Nyangweso signed in on February 6, 2024, stating the purpose of her visit as “official.”
Tumwebaze pressed Nyangweso on inconsistencies regarding her interactions with Amanyire.
The defence alleges that Nyangweso attempted to coerce Amanyire into changing his testimony against the events leading to Henry Katanga’s death on November 2, 2023.
“Can you explain why you visited Amanyire in prison?” Mr. Tumwebaze asked. Nyangweso responded that her visit was to offer support to Amanyire during his incarceration.
However, Mr. Tumwebaze challenged this explanation, citing testimony from Amanyire that suggested Nyangweso had attempted to coerce him into changing his testimony against Molly Katanga.
“You told him you had the power to get him out of prison if he listened to you. Is that true?” Mr. Tumwebaze pressed. “Amanyire claims you urged him to stop telling the original story of what happened that night, insisting it was Molly who shot her husband.”
Nyangweso maintained her discussions were appropriate and did not involve attempts to sway Amanyire’s testimony.
Evidence submitted to the court indicates that Nyangweso who was in the company of senior counsel Mwesigwa Rukuntana and police detective Wilber Tworekirwe attempted to influence Amanyire’s testimony.
Tumwebaze pressed Nyangweso about these joint visits, implying that the presence of legal and police officials suggested a coordinated effort to manipulate Amanyire’s narrative.
Tumwebaze also questioned Nyangweso about her public actions following Henry Katanga’s death, suggesting a smear campaign against Molly.
“You printed and distributed T-shirts bearing pictures of Molly with the words Murderer on the loose. You distributed them to market vendors of Nakawa and Bugolobi market vendors,” said Tumwebaze.
“You put up billboards on the streets claiming you want justice for your brother,” he said. “I put it to you by intending to mobilize the public against the accused persons and deny them a fair trial. I put it to you that you are dishonest, unreliable, and untruthful and you have lied throughout your testimony”.
Nyangweso denied these claims, insisting her motives were to seek justice for her brother.
On Tuesday, defense lawyers also accused Nyangweso of harboring ill intentions toward the Katanga family, particularly the widow, Molly, and her children.
The court also heard that even the late Katanga was suspicious of Nyangweso’s actions. He reportedly dismissed her as a chaperone for his two daughters’ weddings, despite her being his only surviving paternal sister. Instead, he chose his cousin, Lydia Kabirisi, for the role.
During cross-examination, it was revealed that Katanga had never called Nyangweso once in the last few months, contradicting her earlier testimony that she was his confidant.
The defense also pointed to a history of suicides in the Katanga family, suggesting that suicide was not uncommon among its members. They cited the example of Katanga’s brother, Ntomi Katanga who committed suicide before Katanga’s death.
Defense lawyers questioned Nyangweso’s statement during a separate funeral ceremony, where she claimed it would have been impossible for Katanga to commit suicide since he was right-handed and the bullet had entered through the left side of his head.
“If I put it to you that the bullet actually entered through his right side, would you change your opinion that Katanga might have committed suicide?” Tumwebaze asked, but Nyangweso declined to answer.
It was also revealed that on the day of Katanga’s burial, Nyangweso was allegedly elsewhere, attempting to hoard vital documents belonging to him.
As evidence, the defense confirmed that 10 out of 77 items on the police search list had disappeared, yet these items appeared on a list of documents Nyangweso claims she received from the late Katanga.
Lawyers further questioned how Nyangweso had conveniently obtained these documents on the same day Katanga’s office was broken into and searched. Nyangweso reacted angrily, accusing the defense of insulting her by implying she was a thief. This prompted objections from the prosecution.
Presided over by Judge Isaac Muwata, the case centres on allegations that Molly Katanga murdered her husband, Henry Katanga, on November 3, 2023. Her daughters, Martha Nkwanzi Katanga and Patricia Kakwanza, face charges related to the destruction of evidence, while Amanyire and nursing officer Charles Otai are implicated as accessories after the fact.
