The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
The Hunt For The Late Henry Katanga’s Elusive Nail Clippings and Fingerprint Results Continues.
SPECIAL REPORT | ANTHONY NATIF | As recorded in court, in the case Uganda Vs Molly Katanga and adapted from @TonyNatif on X.
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Yesterday, November 10, the criminal division of the High Court, in this murder trial presided over by Lady Justice Rosette Comfort Kania, continued to witness what seemed like a hide-and-seek pursuit of the truth as to what really happened with the fingerprints and nail clippings of the late Henry Katanga.
Background
In case you just got up from under a rock, I’ll bring you up to speed…
The late Katanga’s wife, Molly Katanga, is facing charges of murder by shooting in a case that has just passed the 2-year mark.
Her defense team seems to suggest that Mr Katanga took his own life after beating his wife nearly to death.
They have hinted that the prosecution is playing fast and loose with some evidence that could potentially place the gun in the hands of the deceased Katanga.
They say that the state has so far failed to place the gun in their client’s hands, relying instead on inconclusive DNA and gunshot residue evidence instead of fingerprint analysis.
As the prosecution case approaches its dramatic end, one mystery remains unsolved; this is around Mr Henry Katanga’s nail clippings and fingerprints.
By answering the following questions, one might start to unravel the mystery:
1) Did the state ever take nail clippings and fingerprints from Mr Katanga’s body, both at the residence before onwards transfer to the mortuary and at the mortuary?
2) If the answer to question 1 is yes, why didn’t the state report the results to court?
3) If the answer to Qn 1 is no, why didn’t the state take the clippings and fingerprints, especially when they were investigating a suicide or homicide by shooting?
As the case has unfolded, the answer to those three questions seems to depend on which witness you ask but we shall limit ourselves to three:
i) The forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Ambayo who testified in August 2024 and whose postmortem report continues to feature prominently in this case,
ii) The lead investigator, DSP Bibiana Akong, who was the last witness to hit the stand before PW24, Detective Sergeant David Beteise who is now on the stand
iii) The aforementioned David Beteise, who worked under Bibiana Akong in this investigation.
The postmortem report from a PM attended by Beteise says that the nail clippings and fingerprints were taken. Beteise says they were taken but not in his presence and that he didn’t get them.
Bibiana Akong said that according to her knowledge, they were never taken; not at the Katanga residence and not at the mortuary.
Defence attorney MacDusman Kabega, during the cross-examination of Akong had put it to her that if someone came and said that indeed these were taken, would he be lying? He tried to get her to read David Beteise’s statement, which was met with objections, and thus it was resolved that Beteise be called to testify.
He indeed confirmed that fingerprints and nail clippings were taken at the Katanga residence. He, however, said that the fingerprints taken were of other accused persons, while Mr Katanga’s nail clippings, while done, were swept away by the cleaners, so he didn’t have them and didn’t have the results.
When Elison Karuhanga got a chance to cross examine him, he took him to the mortuary and got him to read a PM report which indeed confirmed they’d been taken but not reported.
The defense is adamant that the prosecution is suppressing evidence to convict their client of a crime she didn’t commit. They say their client is the victim here of excessive domestic violence.
The other issue that came up in the PM section was whether swabs used for GSR analysis were ever taken or were made up by the state.
Karuhanga put it to Beteise that these swabs were never taken from the wounds on the late Katanga’s head and that Beteise forged them. (see video)
The state has a chance to re-examine their 24th witness today.
UgandaVsMollyKatanga
The Hunt For The Late Henry Katanga’s Elusive Nail Clippings and Fingerprint Results Continues.
Yesterday, the criminal division of the High Court, in this murder trial presided over by Lady Justice Rosette Comfort Kania, continued to witness what seemed… https://t.co/RbhJH3I0AJ pic.twitter.com/umWps1vVHT
— Anthony Natif (@TonyNatif) November 11, 2025
