Court Recap: Another Prosecution Witness Fumbles in Katanga Trial

In putting Ms Naome Nyangweso to the witness stand, the prosecution ended up with hardly even the shortest end of the stick to hold as she fumbled in one cross-examination after another.

The trial of Molly Katanga for the alleged murder of her husband Henry Katanga was always going to be a high-stake affair, one where any misstep in the dock or witness stand can be costly.

Yet in putting Ms Naome Nyangweso to the witness stand, the prosecution ended up with hardly even the shortest end of the stick to hold as she fumbled in one cross-examination after another.

Ms Nyangweso's cross-examinations provided a dramatic shift, with the defense team systematically dismantling the prosecution's case, leaving their charge sheets in disarray.

She was supposed to be a key prosecution witness but after her testimony backfired and cast serious doubt on the state’s narrative of murder, the 'key' appeared to be a different lock.

Molly Katanga, accused of killing her husband, Henry Katanga, on November 2, 2023, at their residence in Mbuya, Kampala, stands trial alongside her daughters, Patricia Kankwanzi and Martha Nkwanzi. The prosecution, led by Assistant DPP Samalie Wakooli, alleges that Molly and her daughters conspired with domestic worker George Amanyire and nurse Charles Otai to conceal evidence of the crime.

However, the defense insists that Henry’s death was a case of domestic violence turned tragic.

In a stunning courtroom twist, Ms Nyangweso admitted under cross-examination that she had visited Amanyire at Kigo Prison, accompanied by a police officer and a member of the prosecution team.

During re-examination, when the prosecution questioned Ms Nyangweso about her visit to Kigo Prison, she admitted discussing the case with Amanyire. She further revealed that, after their meeting, she went to the office of the DPP and reported the details of her conversation with Amanyire to state attorneys.

The defence claims that the visit was an attempt to pressure Amanyire into changing his original statement to implicate Molly Katanga. Defence Counsel Jet Tumwebaze confronted Nyangweso with a Kigo Prison visitors' logbook, listing her and prosecutor Jonathan Muwaganya among those who signed in to meet Amanyire.

The admission was a critical moment in the trial, as the defence argued that Amanyire, initially a witness to Henry Katanga’s abusive behavior, was coerced into altering his testimony. “This potato, we must touch it,” Tumwebaze said in court, as he pressed the issue of the visit despite objections from the prosecution. The state, meanwhile, accused the defence of manipulating the visitors’ records with the help of Uganda Prisons.

Despite the prosecution’s protests, Judge Isaac Muwata ruled in favor of admitting the logbook as evidence, a major blow to the state’s case. The defence framed the prosecution’s objections as an attempt to suppress critical evidence, with lawyer Elison Karuhanga arguing, “We are on the side of openness and transparency.”

The controversy over the logbook has also cast a shadow on prosecutor Muwaganya’s reputation. Known for his impeccable record in criminal trials, Muwaganya now finds himself implicated in accusations of witness tampering. The state’s narrative further faltered when forensic expert Dr Andrew Mubiru was unable to address key questions about the bullet’s exit wound, leaving critical gaps in the prosecution’s argument that Molly shot her husband at close range.

Adding to the complexity, the defense argued that Molly was in no condition to commit the alleged crime, suffering from a fractured arm and severe head trauma at the time of the incident. The state’s inability to reconcile this with their theory of close-range shooting has further weakened their position.

Nyangweso’s testimony, which was intended to strengthen the prosecution’s case, instead exposed cracks. Her responses during cross-examination raised more questions than answers, leaving the court wondering if she had been adequately prepared to withstand the defense’s probing. Her admission that she sought to influence Amanyire’s testimony put the prosecution on the defensive, undermining their credibility.

The delays in Nyangweso’s testimony frustrated both sides, with the defense hinting that the state was stalling to mitigate further damage. As the trial drags on, Molly Katanga remains behind bars, her health deteriorating. The defense has argued that the prolonged proceedings are unjust, keeping her imprisoned longer than necessary.

With the case far from over, the prosecution now faces an uphill battle to salvage its position. They must refute the defense’s claims about witness tampering and prove that Amanyire’s testimony was not coerced. Failing to do so could result in a monumental collapse of their case, setting a precedent for how the judiciary handles allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

The trial has become a test not just of guilt or innocence, but of the limits of prosecutorial power. As the courtroom drama unfolds, all eyes remain on Justice Muwata, who will ultimately decide the fate of Molly Katanga. If the prosecution hopes to secure a conviction, they will need to recover from the damage inflicted by their own witness—a challenge that grows steeper with every misstep.