KATANGA CASE: Wife Molly, daughter DNAs were traced around the trigger

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The High Court in Kampala heard that the handgun used to murder businessman, Henry Katanga had the DNA of his embattled wife Molly Katanga, and that of their daughter, Patricia Kankwanzi.

The Director of Forensics in Uganda Police Force, Andrew  Mubiru continued his testimony on Wednesday by providing scientific evidence liking the weapon suspected to have killed Katanga to his close family members.

Dr. Mubiru, who conducted the forensic analysis on the weapon and some of the items recovered at the scene of the crime told the court that Molly Katanga’s DNA was predominantly on the magazine of the pistol and the area near the trigger of the pistol.

IMubiru said last year, he received 23 exhibits, including a pistol, cartridges, bed sheet, boxer shorts, and blood swabs from the accused daughters, deceased and Molly Katanga, and also from various places in the bedroom where Katanga died and around their home, hair stretches from the bathroom door, gauze,  bandages, among others, for forensic examination.

Mubiru revealed that blood swabs from the master bedroom, including the floor near the bed and the western wall of the wardrobe, matched Molly Katanga’s DNA.

He said the  DNA analysis of the pistol magazine and gunshot residues found on the marital bed also implicated Molly Katanga and Patricia Kankwanzi.

A key part of any shooting incident reconstruction is the determination of a projectile’s trajectory through items at the scene by DNA analysis.

Mubiru revealed that DNA evidence from the projectile recovered from the marital bed had a mixed profile of at least two contributors, with Molly Katanga, Patricia Kankwanzi, and the deceased Henry Katanga being the likely donors.

The Court further heard that another possible scenario is that the DNA came from Henry Katanga and two untested individuals from the Ugandan population, unrelated to the suspects.

Mubiru signed as the lead examiner, Supervisor, and reviewer of the DNA matching and analysis examination and further explained his forensic analysis process in simple terms.

He stated that a “Major DNA profile contributor” refers to an individual whose DNA is more prevalent on the examined item.

Mubiru revealed that after analysis, exhibits are returned to the Forensic Gateway for safe custody and may be sent to another facility for further examination.

He noted that biological exhibits such as blood may be consumed during testing and not returned, but when they have sufficient amounts, they can be sampled and returned.

However,  Mubiru testified that he didn’t collect any DNA from three wooden sticks that were collected from the scene and sent to the Lab for analysis.

The Prosecution team comprised Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya, Annah Kiiza and Samalie Wakooli the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions sought to have Mubiru ‘s 48 paged report report and the exhibits admitted in Court.

However, the defense lawyers led by Peter Kabatsi, Macdusman Kabega, Bruce Musinguzi Elison Karuhanga, and John Jet Tumwebaze objected to the admissibility on the basis that  Mubiru is not the right witness to tender in the exhibits.

The lawyers for the accused persons suggested that the police officers who recovered the samples should have been called to exhibit them in court.

The lawyers further accuse the Prosecution of denying them what they describe as the vital information requested which would have helped them to ably represent their clients.

The Court has adjourned the matter to tomorrow August 29th, 2024 for ruling on the admissibility of Mubiru’s exhibits.

Molly Katanga is standing trial on charges of murdering her husband before the Criminal Division Judge Isaac Muwata.

The Prosecution accuses Molly Katanga of murdering her husband on November 2nd, 2023 by shooting him at their home located in Mbuya Chwa 2 Road in Nakawa Division Kampala District.

The other co-accused are her Katanga’s daughters  Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kankwanzi and then their family shamba boy, George Amanyire, and Charles Otai a Nursing Officer.

These are facing charges related to tampering and destroying evidence that could have been used to find Henry Katanga’s killers. They are also accused of aiding and abetting the crime (being an accessory after the fact of murder).

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