Kanyamunyu trial pushed to next month

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The Criminal Division of High Court will next month start hearing a case in which Matthew Kanyamunyu and two others are accused of murdering child activist, Kenneth Akena.

Kanyamunyu is jointly charged alongside his Burundian girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari and his elder brother, Joseph Kanyamunyu.

On Wednesday, the accused persons together with their lawyers Caleb Alaka, Evans Ochieng and State Prosecutors Jonathan Muwaganya and Ann Kiiza appeared before High Court Judge Steven Mubiru.

Justice Mubiru told the accused persons that he will be hearing the case from 8th to 10th January 2020.

The same court also has appointed two court assessors Juliet Kasengwa and Simon Mateeka.

Prosecution alleges that on November 12th, 2016, along Kampala Jinja highway near Malik Car bond, opposite the main gate of Uganda Manufacturer’s Association in Lugogo Nakawa division, the accused murdered Akena.

However, Joseph Kanyamunyu faces alternative charges of being an accessory to the murder.

It is alleged that on the day Akena was killed while at Nakasero hospital, Joseph removed a pistol from Mathew Kanyamunyu’s Car Registration number UAW 548 M. The pistol is alleged to have been used to kill Akena.

Betty Ochan the leader of opposition in Parliament, who spoke on behalf of Akena’s family, says that they have waited long for the trial to start.

Previously, the trial was supposed to start in January 2019 but it was adjourned because it had been fixed in a special criminal session and thus the then  Judge couldn’t finish hearing the case.

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