In the ongoing trial concerning the murder of Henry Katanga, defence attorneys have raised serious concerns about the credibility of the postmortem report provided by pathologist Dr Richard Ambayo, the seventh witness for the prosecution.

Dr. Ambayo testified that Katanga had died from a single gunshot wound inflicted at close range. During cross-examination, the defence questioned the thoroughness of the postmortem examination, pointing out that the police had initially requested the autopsy to investigate the possibility of suicide.

The defence argued that this scenario was plausible, given the alleged domestic altercation preceding Katanga’s death on November 2, 2023.

The defence lawyers, led by Peter Kabatsi, sought to challenge Dr. Ambayo’s findings, suggesting that Katanga’s death might have been self-inflicted.

However, Ambayo stood by his conclusion, asserting that the autopsy was conducted meticulously by a team of pathologists and other experts.

Molly Katanga is currently facing murder charges as the primary accused, while her two daughters, Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kankwanzi, along with family employees George Amanyire and Charles Otai, face charges of being accessories to the crime and tampering with evidence. The defence’s strategy appears to be focused on establishing reasonable doubt regarding the cause and manner of Katanga’s death.

A key point of contention during the trial has been Ambayo’s qualifications. The defence questioned whether Ambayo was a forensic expert, to which he admitted he was not. When asked to identify the type of firearm used in the incident, Ambayo clarified that his role as a pathologist did not include such determinations. He also noted that no projectile was recovered during the autopsy, further complicating the case.

Another significant issue raised during the trial was the handling of Katanga’s body before the autopsy. Dr. Ambayo testified that the standard procedure of protecting the deceased’s hands to test for gunpowder residue was not followed. This omission, according to Ambayo, compromised the ability to determine whether Katanga had discharged a firearm, which would have been crucial evidence in either confirming or disproving the suicide theory.

The defence also presented Dr. Ambayo with the international literature on postmortem procedures for gunshot victims. Still, he dismissed the materials, arguing that they were irrelevant to the specific conditions in Uganda and lacked the rigour required for such a case. Ambayo emphasized that his conclusions were based on real cases and his extensive experience, including a Master’s Degree in Pathology.

Further scrutiny was placed on the bullet’s trajectory. According to Ambayo, the bullet entered through Katanga’s left ear and exited through his right. The defence challenged this account, arguing that the trajectory could be consistent with suicide if reversed.

However, the prosecution is expected to argue that the trajectory makes it unlikely that Katanga, who was right-handed, could have shot himself in such a manner.