Patricia Kakwanzi, daughter of slain businessman Henry Katanga tried to influence police to falsify the cause of her father’s death. 

Peter Ogwang, the officer in charge of Bugolobi Police Station was the third state witness to testify in the case in which Molly Katanga is accused of shooting dead on November 2, 2023.

Ogwang on Wednesday told the court presided over by the criminal division judge Isaac Muwata that Kakwanzi, asked him to cover up her father’s death and report it as an accident. Ogwang narrated that he advised Kakwanzi not to cover what led to her father’s death and instead advised her to involve a scene of crimes officer.

Ogwang told the court that he knew Kakwanzi before because she used to follow up cases related to Security-Plus Company at Bugolobi police station. He stated that on the fateful day of November 2, 2023, at around 9 am, he received a call from nursing officer Charles Otai informing him of an incident of suicide by shooting at a residence in Mbuya. 

Ogwang testified that he found the police’s liaison officer, Samuel Musede, guarding the scene. He went on and described the gruesome sight of Katanga’s body laid on a new mattress, covered with a bed sheet, with a lot of blood in the room and on the bed lay a black pistol nearby.

On cross-examination by the defence team, it was established that some accounts of Ogwang’s oral testimony were not included in his written statement. He reportedly recorded the statement on November 6, 2023. The defence consisted of Elison Karuhanga, McDusman Kabega, Bruce Musinguzi, John Jet Tumwebaze, and Peter Kabatsi asked the court to accept his statement as their exhibit, raising questions about the reliability of the witness’s testimony.

Katanga’s widow, Molly Katanga according to the prosecutors unlawfully shot him to death. The third state witness was Timothy Nyangwesho, the deceased’s nephew. Nyangweso testified that he attempted to reach his uncle on the day of the incident. He said, he had spent a night at his at his mother’s home in Bugolobi and left at about 7:00 in the morning. 

He testified that at around 8:00 am, his mother Naome Nyangwesho asked him to call Katanga, but he was unreachable. Nyangwesho said he tried calling Katanga on both his lines, but no one picked up. He said Nyangwesh who was the deceased’s eldest sister then asked him to call Martha Nkwanzi, another daughter of Katanga.

Nyangwesho testified that he called Nkwanzi at around 9:10 am, and she told him that her father was sleeping and asked him to call back later. The court heard that when Nyangwesho called his mother back to report the conversation, she informed him that Katanga was dead. 

Nyangwesho further testified that he drove back to Bugolobi and found his mother at the gate. He said they proceeded to Katanga’s home in Mbuya, where they found many senior police and army officers. Nyangwesho stated that he was stopped from going upstairs by a Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) officer who only allowed his mother Nyangwesho to proceed.

Under cross-examination by Karuhanga, Nyangweso confirmed that he recorded a statement at the police station on January 8, 2024, two months after the incident. Karuhanga suggested that Timothy Nyangweso’s statement was made to fill gaps in the investigation. 

Nyangwesho denied this. Karuhanga also questioned Nyangwesho about his phone conversation with Nkwanzi, pointing out that Nyangwesho’s phone number was not among the contacts listed in the police forensic report. Nyangwesho admitted that the phone number he called was not Nkwanzi’s number and was not saved in his phone.  

The prosecution was represented by assistant director of public prosecutions (DPP) Samalie Wakooli, chief state attorneys; Jonathan Muwaganya and Annah Kiiza who requested an adjournment to present more witnesses, which was granted by the court. Former deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, and lawyers Edgar Ayebazibwe, and Brian Rubaihayo represent the interests of the deceased as watching briefs during the trial.

All accused individuals, except Molly who appeared through a Zoom link connecting to Luzira Women’s Prison, are currently out on bail. The matter will resume today Friday, July 12.

The other co-accused daughters Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kankwanzi, face charges related to tampering and destroying evidence that could have been used to substantiate their father’s murder, and for aiding and abetting the crime (being an accessory after the fact of murder) alongside the family’s shamba Boy George Amanyire and Charles Otai a nursing officer.