Kanyamunyu bail ruling set for next week

A prisons warder leads Mathew Kanyamunyu to the High Court for Thursday's bail hearing. Photo by Roderick Ahimbazwe

Court has set August 23, as the date when it is slated to deliver a bail ruling in a case where Mathew Kanyamunyu and two others are accused of killing a social worker Kenneth Akena.

Today, High Court Judge Yasin Nyanzi set the date after listening to submissions of both the State and Kanyamunyu's lawyer.

Government was represented by senior state attorney Immaculate Angutoko while Kanyamunyu by Evans Ochieng.

Ochieng pleaded with court to grant Kanyamunyu bail on grounds that he has substantial sureties and a fixed place of abode at Royal Palm Estates located in Butabika.

He submitted that Kanyamunyu will not interfere with investigations and witnesses since inquiries in the case are complete.   

Ochieng disclosed that Kanyamunyu is willing to exhibit in court a land title, registered in his names for a piece of land in Wakiso.  

In reply, Angutoko asked court to deny Kanyamunyu bail and have his case fixed in the next court session for trial so that his case is heard on merit.

"Completion of inquiry is not a guarantee that the accused will not interfere with investigations and witnesses," she submitted.

Kanyamunyu, the executive director of Quantum Express Logistics is being charged with his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu, 41, and girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari, 27, who have since been released on bail. The two were in court.

Prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large on November 12, 2016 along Kampala-Jinja Road opposite Malik car bond with malice aforethought caused the death of Akena.

Kanyamunyu is suspected to have shot Akena in the stomach over the denting of his car. Akena died a day after at Norvik Hospital, on Bombo Road in Kampala.

Meanwhile, Joseph Kanyamunyu, a businessman faces another charge for hiding the pistol that Kanyamunyu allegedly used to shoot Akena.

In his statement to Police, Kanyamunyu denied the allegations, saying although he had an exchange with the deceased over his car, he did not harm Akena. Kanyamunyu claims that his only crime was taking Akena to hospital after he was shot.

However, John Paul Nyeko, a relative of the deceased earlier said his cousin made a dying declaration in which he pinned Kanyamunyu for shooting him.