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KAMPALA - Molly Katanga, who is charged with the murder of her husband Henry Katanga, will know her bail fate on April 9.

The presiding criminal division judge, Isaac Muwata, fixed the date on Wednesday after listening to the submissions from her lawyers and the prosecution team.

The application was heard under tight security after a group of people donning black T-shirts with Molly’s portrait attempted to raid the courtroom in protest against the hearing of her bail application. 

Peter Kabatsi, MacDosman Kabega, Elison Karuhanga, John Jet Tumwebaze, and Bruce Musinguzi asked the court to release the accused on bail pending trial.

They submitted that she is entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence and has substantial sureties to ensure her attendance in court whenever required if released on bail.

The sureties are John Patrick Kaboyo, Geoffrey Kamuntu, Maj. Gen (rtd) Emmanuel Nyamunywanisa and Margaret Mugisa Muhanga.

On the other hand, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Samali Wakooli, who teamed up with chief state attorneys Jonathan Muwaganya and Anna Kiiza, asked the court to dismiss the bail application.

Wakooli submitted that it is in the interest of justice that the bail application is rejected.

“My lord, we invite this court to reject the bail application so that resources are focused on the hearing of the main case since investigations in this case have been completed and the case has already been fixed for hearing on July 2,” Wakooli submitted.

Citing the case of Uganda versus Francis Onebe, Wakooli said releasing Molly on bail is against the interests of justice.

In regard to the sureties, the prosecution asked the court to find Kaboyo and Nyamunywanisa not substantial sureties because they are of extreme advanced age (75) who should not be burdened with court processes.

In regard to Kamuntu, Muwaganya said he is not fit because he is under investigation over obstruction of justice.

Despite sustaining grave injuries on her head, the 55-year-old Molly has been on remand since February. Molly appeared in court via Zoom technology. She wore a bandage on her head.

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Katanga, a renowned businessman succumbed to a gunshot wound he sustained on the left side of his head after an alleged verbal exchange with his wife (Molly) on November 2, 2023, at their residence at Mbuya Chwa II Road.

Prosecution alleges that on November 2, 2023, at Mbuya Chwa II Road in Nakawa division, Kampala city with malice aforethought, Molly killed her husband in cold blood.

According to the indictment, Katanga succumbed to gunshot injuries discharged by his pistol number UG1622200061CZ99 compact.

An examination of the killer pistol found that Molly’s Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was the most predominant on the trigger.

The pistol was also found to be in good working condition capable of discharging live rounds of ammunition and the cartridge that was found at the scene was discharged by the said pistol.

Also, swabs picked from Molly’s hands were found to be positive for gunpowder residue.

On examination of the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage, the indictment indicates that it had been tampered with but the indictment says the same will be relied upon during trial.

In her statement to Police, Molly admits that on the night prior to the incident, she spent a night together with Katanga at their home but she denies knowledge of what transpired and how she got to the International Hospital in Kampala (IHK) where she had been admitted for close to two months before she was arraigned in court. 

According to the indictment, a few days before his alleged murder, Katanga had allegedly revealed to a close relative that he feared he would be killed any time and that he needed a lawyer to draft a Will just in case he died.

The indictment shows that Katanga had wanted to draft his Will because he was allegedly being tracked by Molly.

It is alleged that with the help of a close relative, Katanga procured a safe to secure his important documents and also secured an appointment with a lawyer to discuss matters pertaining to his safety.

Court has since heard that Katanga had also made efforts to change his phone password, acquired a new private telephone line, and rarely made frequent movements in his known personal motor car.

The indictment shows that on November 1, 2023, Katanga and Molly had dinner together and retired to their bedroom but the following morning, Amanyire heard a strange noise coming from the couple’s bedroom and he immediately alerted the people at home.

It is said the workers moved closer to the bedroom to ascertain what could be happening and that they allegedly heard a struggle inside the bedroom which they suspected could have been a fight.

Consequently, they telephoned Nkwanzi and Kakwanza to come but before they arrived, the workers allegedly heard a loud blast and immediately the noise in the bedroom stopped.

It is stated that Molly later opened the door and walked to the adjacent room from where she called Otai and she instructed him to call Nkwanzi and Kakwanza.

Shortly, Nkwanzi and Kakwanza reportedly showed up and Kakwanza went directly to the bedroom where she found Katanga in a pool of blood.

Later, Kakwanza, Nkwanzi, Molly, and Otai moved downstairs and Kakwanza drove Molly to Bugolobi Medical Centre and later IHK.