Pathologist reveals Police suspected suicide in Katanga case

Pathologist's testimony reveals police initially suspected suicide in the high-profile Katanga murder trial.
KAMPALA | In a dramatic development during the ongoing trial of Molly Katanga, accused of murdering her husband, the High Court in Kampala heard testimony that the police initially suspected suicide in the case.
This revelation came from Dr Richard Ambayo, the pathologist who performed the autopsy on Henry Katanga’s body.
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Dr Ambayo, who conducted the autopsy at the Kampala Capital City Authority Mortuary within Mulago National Referral Hospital, disclosed under cross-examination that the police requested the autopsy amid suspicions of suicide.
His testimony has since been the focus of intense questioning over two days, as the defence seeks to challenge the murder charge against Molly Katanga.
“I was not at the scene of death,” Dr Ambayo clarified, noting that his findings were based solely on the autopsy conducted with a team of pathologists.
The defence has suggested that Katanga’s death might have been the result of self-inflicted harm following a domestic altercation.
They pressed Dr Ambayo on various aspects of his findings, particularly questioning his expertise in forensic pathology, which he admitted he did not possess.
Further challenging Dr Ambayo’s conclusions, the defense presented literature from international journals on postmortem procedures for gunshot victims.
A key point of contention was the trajectory of the bullet that killed Katanga.
Dr Ambayo testified that the bullet entered through Katanga’s left ear and exited through the right, an assertion the defense disputed.
They introduced a photo of Katanga's body showing visible lacerations on the right side of the head, which the defense argued could indicate suicide, especially since Katanga was right-handed.
The court also learned that Dr Ambayo could not test Katanga’s hands for gunshot residue due to potential contamination.
“The body arrived without the necessary protection for the hands, which is crucial for such tests,” Dr Ambayo explained, acknowledging that this compromised any potential examination for gunshot residue.
Molly Katanga faces charges of murder, while her daughters, Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kankwanzi, along with the family’s shamba boy, George Amanyire, and a nursing officer, Charles Otai, are accused of being accessories to the murder and tampering with evidence.
The defense team includes notable lawyers Peter Kabatsi, Macdusman Kabega, Bruce Musinguzi, John Jet Tumwebaze, and Elison Karuhanga.
Representing the interests of Katanga’s mother are Mwesigwa Rukutana, Brian Rubaihayo, and Edgar Ayebazibwe.
The state is represented by Chief State Attorneys Jonathan Muwaganya and Annah Kiiza, along with Assistant DPP Wakooli.
The trial, which has drawn significant public attention, is set to continue on August 27, 2024, with the prosecution expected to call its eighth witness.
Dr Ambayo’s prolonged cross-examination has been notable, as expert witnesses typically face shorter questioning or none at all in similar cases.