The ongoing murder trial of businesswoman and widow Molly Katanga at the High Court saw a pivotal moment today as the 17th prosecution witness, a CCTV analyst, testified regarding critical gaps in video evidence from the crime scene.
Assistant Inspector of Police Emmanuel Odongo, attached to the Directorate of ICT at the National Command and Control Centre in Naguru, took the stand before Justice Rosette Comfort Kania. Odongo informed the court that he was tasked with retrieving footage from the private CCTV system at the Katanga residence following the death of Henry Katanga.
According to Odongo's testimony, the CCTV system at the Katanga residence ceased recording at 7:45 AM on November 2nd, only to resume operation several minutes after 8:00 AM. This crucial gap meant that footage depicting Molly Katanga's departure from the house en route to the hospital was unavailable. Despite this, Odongo stated that police CCTV cameras at Kinawataka and the IHK hospital junction later captured a vehicle in which she was allegedly driven.
However, the credibility of this evidence came under scrutiny during cross-examination by Katanga's defense lawyers. Odongo admitted that his analysis revealed no evidence of tampering with the CCTV system itself. Furthermore, he was unable to confirm whether a power outage might have occurred in the area during the crucial time the system was off.
The defense pressed Odongo on key details, with the analyst unable to identify Molly Katanga in the vehicle he claimed transported her to IHK hospital. This prompted the defense to question the reliability of his overall CCTV report.
A further point of contention arose regarding Odongo's report, which mentioned "movements up and down the stairs" at the Katanga residence. When challenged by the defense to identify the source of this information and confirm if the stairs were visible in the referenced footage, Odongo could not provide a clear answer.
Henry Katanga died from a gunshot wound to his head at his home on Chwa 11 Road in Kampala. Following his death, police arrested his widow, Molly Katanga, their two daughters Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanzi, the family’s house-help Amanyire, and Bugolobi Medical nursing officer Charles Otai.
The trial continues as the court sifts through the evidence presented to determine the circumstances surrounding Henry Katanga's death.