Molly Katanga’s Murder Trial Takes New Twist As Lawyers Present Evidence Of Self Defense

Last week, the High Court in Kampala buzzed with tension as the murder trial of Molly Katanga, accused alongside four others of the shocking killing of her husband, prominent businessman Henry Katanga, exploded into a dramatic showdown.

The prosecution’s 22nd witness, senior police pathologist Dr. Moses Karuhanga, 51, dropped a bombshell. The director of Police Health Services testified that the wounds crisscrossing Molly’s body told a story of a desperate struggle. He was summoned by Jinja Road police station to examine Molly on November 8, 2023, six days after Henry’s fatal shooting at their lavish Mbuya home.

“The request instructed me to examine a lady called Molly Katanga who had allegedly sustained injuries in a fight in their marital home, during which Katanga was shot and died instantly,” Dr. Karuhanga told a courtroom so packed it seemed to hold its breath.

Molly, at the time, lay in a bed at Kampala International Hospital in Namuwongo, her condition shrouded in secrecy.

A Gatekeeper’s Demands

Dr. Karuhanga’s visit to the hospital was anything but routine. Instead of doctors, he was greeted by Geoffrey Kamuntu, a tight-lipped family associate who laid down the law: no photographs, no public leaks, and no direct statement from Molly herself. Undeterred, the pathologist, joined by Dr. Justine Onen, pressed on with the examination.

A Body Marked by Battle

In chilling detail, Dr. Karuhanga described Molly’s wounds to the court. Her left hand was swollen, bearing two stitched gashes—two and four centimeters long—alongside an eight-centimeter bruise. Her right forearm, fractured and pinned with stainless steel, showed swelling and the grim onset of gangrene on her little finger. Both shoulders were marred by massive bruises: 20 by 13 centimeters on the right, 22 by 10 on the left. Her scalp revealed a nine-centimeter gash at the back, closed with nine stitches.

“In total, Molly Katanga had more than 60 stitches in her body,” Dr. Karuhanga told court.

“These are the kinds of injuries one suffers while defending oneself from a traumatic event. However, it is also possible for the attacker to get injured in the process.”

No wounds marked her chest, abdomen, or legs. The doctor hedged his words carefully, noting the injuries suggested “defense wounds”—marks of someone shielding themselves from an onslaught—but stopped short of a definitive conclusion.

A Delay That Sparked Fire

The six-day gap between the shooting and the examination ignited a fierce clash in court. Dr. Karuhanga revealed the investigating team had told him Molly was initially unreachable, guarded by “private security.” Defense lawyer Elison Karuhanga pounced, slamming the statement as hearsay.

“He cannot testify on what he was merely told,” the lawyer fired back. Lead prosecutor Jonathan Muwaganya countered sharply, insisting the doctor was only explaining the delay.

“He is only stating why the examination happened later than usual. That cannot be dismissed as hearsay.”

The defense wasn’t done. McDosman Kabega pressed harder, pointing out that another officer had examined Molly on the day of the shooting, hinting that Dr. Karuhanga’s report might not be the full story.

A Nation Hooked on Every Twist

The Katanga case, a tangle of conflicting narratives and whispers of hidden influence, has Uganda riveted. The prosecution sees Molly’s wounds as evidence of a violent struggle before the fatal shot. The defense, wielding the delays and restrictions like a blade, questions the evidence’s credibility and what lies beneath.

As the trial resumes this week, more witnesses are set to take the stand, each one peeling back another layer of a case that has gripped the nation since Henry Katanga’s death in November 2023.