Landlord demands rent for Katanga's office space

Police say the keys for the said office are with the family while the landlord claims the family has been asking for the same

A landlord has asked the state to either hand over the keys to the late Henry Katanga's former office in Kampala or enter a fresh agreement and pay rent to keep it locked.

The Uganda Cooperative Alliance Ltd (UCA) says was a tenant at its Alliance Building located on Nkrumah Road Plot 47/49 but that since his death, Police have locked the premises as part of the investigations into his murder, leaving them unable to earn rent from the same premises.

But Police say the keys are with the Katanga family.

"Clearly, the family and lawyers of the late have keys," said CID director Tom Magambo to whom the July 30 letter is addressed.

"Police has nothing to do with those premises."

Mr Katanga was found dead on the morning of November 2 last year in the bedroom of his matrimonial home in Mbuya, a Kampala suburb, under unclear circumstances.

He had gunshot wound to the head and a pistol was also found at the scene.

His former wife, Molly, was found unconscious beside him with serious injuries on the head.

Prosecution says Ms Katanga killed her husband while her two daughters are accomplices with Charles Otai, a doctor and first respondent, and George Amanyire, a house-help charged with tampering with evidence.

UCA said the building is private property and as the landlord, it reserves the right to determine who to rent its premises.

"Considering that you have closed the office for over nine months without payment of rent, UCA would like to repossess its premises and rent it to other people who are ready to pay rent," it said.

The manner the issues related to the said office featured among the pre-trial issues raised by the defence team after the prosecution denied them key documents and evidence.

At the time, Ms Martha Nkwanzi, daughter of the late Katanga, had demanded complete disclosure, including of the contents of documents retrieved from her father's office.

The Katanga family did not get their way with the pre-trial demands and the trial eventually took off, but with the premises legally remaining under occupancy, the burden of rental arrears accumulated while the office stayed locked would be on the family.

It is understood the landlord contacted the Katangas about the rent arrears and now claims that the children of the deceased businessman were willing to clear it and vacate the premises to avoid further accumulation of rent and wastage of property.

However, the landlord claims in the letter that the children have no access.

"We also wish to inform you that there is no Police notification designating the office as a scene of crime and we aren't aware of any crime that was committed within the said premises," UCA told Police in their demand notice.

"Therefore, you are hereby requested to handover the keys to the office of the late Henry Katanga to enable UCA repossess its premises and conduct its business without any interruption."

The landlord said in the event that Police were still interested in locking up the premises, they should immediately pay up the outstanding rent and enter into a rental agreement to keep the premises remain locked.

"Failure to adhere to this request within seven days will leave UCA with no option other than exercising its rights under the law governing landlords and tenants.

Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said in a rejoinder that he had consulted with the relevant departments and understood the key is not with Police.

The Katanga murder trial resumes later this month when the defence team is expected to argue out their case and cross examine state witnesses.