Court to rule on Kanyamunyu application halting trial

Nov 07, 2020

Kanyamunyu, the Quantum Express Logistics executive director, and his girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari are on trial over the murder of child activist Kenneth Akena Watmon.

COURT|CRIME|MURDER

KAMPALA - The High Court in Kampala is on Monday expected to decide on whether or not to temporarily halt Mathew Kanyamunyu's murder trial, pending plea bargain.

Plea bargain is an agreement between the accused person and the state whereby the accused voluntarily pleads guilty to the offense in exchange for a lesser sentence.

Kanyamunyu, the Quantum Express Logistics executive director, and his girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari are on trial over the murder of child activist Kenneth Akena Watmon.

Friday (November 6, 2020), Kanyamunyu requested the court to adjourn the trial to permit future consideration for a plea bargain in anticipation of cultural reconciliation process of the Acholi tradition (Mato Putu).

However, Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwanganya objected it, arguing that the reasons advanced for staying the trial are not set in law.

"Adjourning the trial is aimed at defeating the right to a fair and speedy trial as enshrined in the Constitution," he submitted.

Muwanganya disclosed that the case has been in the judiciary system since February 2016 and it has come up in two previous criminal sessions.

"I pray court exercises its duty to curtail delays that have a potential of resulting in a mistrial." Muwanganya said.

Allegations

Kanyamunyu and Munwangari are accused of killing Akena, the former employee of ACODER, a non-government organisation based in Kasese district.

Meanwhile, his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu is battling charges of accessory to murder.

"A few minutes before police could arrive at the hospital, Joseph came and parked his motor vehicle close to Kanyamunyu. He was seen by the security officer being given a pistol by Kanyamunyu then he drove away to an unknown destination," states a summary of the case submitted in court by the state.

The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large committed the offence on November 12, 2016, along Kampala-Jinja Road opposite Malik car bond.

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.

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