Panamera Bar murder case stalls as judge skips court

The case in which the proprietor of Panamera Bar, Andrew ‘Desh' Kananura is charged with the murder of his employee has been deferred after the presiding judge failed to show up for the defence hearing.

After waiting for close to three hours for Justice Joseph Mulangira to appear for the inaugural hearing of the defence case, court users, lawyers and suspects were told, without explanation, that the judge won't come.

The lawyers were asked to go before the registrar's chambers for a re-allocation of a new hearing date.

On Friday last week, the prosecution closed its case after presenting 10 witnesses and in his ruling, Mulangira found Andrew alias Desh Kananura, his brother Raymond Kananura, Cyrus Maganda, a body guard, Samuel Muzolewa, a private security guard at Kololo S.S and Jacob Onyango, a security guard at the bar, with a case to answer and put them on the defence.

It is alleged that they murdered a one Badru Kateregga on September 30, 2012, at the bar after finding him with sh30,000 which exceeded the allowed amount to be held by any employee at the bar.

According to the state, the deceased was found with bruises all over his body in an incomplete building next to the bar. Evidence in court shows that the accused washed away spilled blood in order to kill evidence.

The assistant registrar has adjourned the case to February 22, 2017, for the hearing of the defence case.