KAMPALA, Uganda — Lawyers representing Molly Katanga, accused of murdering her husband, businessman Henry Katanga, submitted a fresh bail application Tuesday as the case resumed at the High Court in Kampala.
The application was made before Court Registrar Festo Nsege, who presided over the matter. Nsege adjourned the case to Feb. 7 for a bail hearing.
Molly Katanga was previously denied bail on the grounds that her trial would be expedited, but the proceedings have since been delayed.
Molly Katanga, 55, has been on remand for over a year. Her lawyers, Kampala Associated Advocates, argued that she deserves to be released on bail, citing her grave illness and the fact that the court has previously found her four sureties to be substantial.
A medical report from Luzira prison, where Molly Katanga is being held, shows she suffers from nasal sinusitis, vertigo, breast masses and hypertension.
Doctors who examined her concluded that she requires follow-up with a specialist ENT surgeon and monitoring, services that are not available in prisons.
Molly Katanga’s previous applications for bail on health grounds were rejected by the court.
Her lawyers argued that having proved the exceptional circumstance of grave illness, and with the court having previously found her sureties to be substantial, she should be released on bail.
Henry Katanga died from a gunshot wound to the head on Nov. 2, 2023, at their residence on Mbuya Chwa II Road in Kampala.
On the same day, Molly was admitted to C-Care IHK (formerly International Hospital Kampala) with multiple fractures on her upper limbs, various head injuries and in a state of hypovolemic shock, according to a report issued by specialists appointed by the Ministry of Health.
Hypovolemic shock is an emergency condition in which severe blood or other fluid loss makes the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body.
Molly is facing trial together with her daughters: Patricia Kakwanza and Martha Nkwanzi, as well as George Amanyire, a domestic worker, and Charles Otai, a nursing officer, who are accused of destroying evidence and being an accessory after the fact to murder.
The indictment reveals that on November 1, 2023, Katanga and Molly had dinner together and then retired to their bedroom.
However, the following morning, a house help (Amanyire) heard a strange noise emanating from the couple’s bedroom and immediately alerted the other people at home.
It is said that the workers moved closer to the bedroom to ascertain what could be happening and that they allegedly heard a struggle inside the bedroom which they suspected could have been a fight.
Consequently, they telephoned Nkwanzi and Kakwanza to come but before they arrived, the workers allegedly heard a loud blast and immediately the noise in the bedroom stopped.
Shortly, Nkwanzi and Kakwanza reportedly showed up and Kakwanza went directly to the bedroom where she found Katanga lying in a pool of blood.
Later, Molly was purportedly assisted by Amanyire to move downstairs, and Kakwanza drove Molly to Bugolobi Medical Centre and later IHK.
According to the indictment, Katanga succumbed a single gunshot injury discharged by his pistol number UG1622200061CZ99 compact.
