High Court Hears Damning Testimony on Missing CCTV Footage in Katanga Murder Trial

The trial of businesswoman Molly Katanga, accused in connection with the death of her husband Henry Katanga, continued today at the High Court, with a key prosecution witness, a CCTV analyst, facing intense scrutiny over crucial missing footage from the crime scene.

Assistant Inspector of Police Emmanuel Odongo, a member of the Directorate of ICT at the National Command and Control Centre in Naguru, testified as the 17th prosecution witness before Justice Rosette Comfort Kania. Odongo informed the court that he was tasked with retrieving footage from the private CCTV system at Katanga’s residence as part of the investigation into Henry Katanga’s death, which resulted from a gunshot wound to the head at his home on Chwa II Road.

Odongo’s testimony revealed a critical gap in the surveillance record. He stated that on the morning of November 2nd, the CCTV system at the Katanga residence ceased recording at 7:45 AM and only resumed several minutes after 8:00 AM. This unexplained blackout, according to Odongo, meant that footage depicting Molly Katanga leaving the house for the hospital was unavailable. However, he claimed that police CCTV cameras at Kinawataka and the IHK hospital junction later captured her being driven in a vehicle.

However, the prosecution’s seemingly strong evidence was significantly challenged during a rigorous cross-examination by Katanga’s defence lawyers. Odongo, under questioning, conceded that he found no evidence whatsoever of tampering with the CCTV system at the residence. Furthermore, he admitted he could not confirm whether a power outage had occurred in the area at the time of the alleged recording hiatus – a detail that could potentially explain the gap in footage without implying deliberate action.

The defence further cast doubt on Odongo’s testimony when he was unable to positively identify Molly Katanga in the vehicle he claimed transported her to the IHK hospital. This prompted a strong challenge to the credibility and reliability of his overall CCTV report.

Adding to the defence’s successful undermining of the witness, Odongo’s report contained a reference to “movements up and down the stairs” at the Katanga residence. When pressed by defence counsel to identify the source of this information and confirm whether the stairs were visible in the footage referenced in his report, Odongo was unable to provide a clear and satisfactory answer. This inability to substantiate key details in his own report has raised significant doubts about the accuracy and reliability of his findings.

Molly Katanga was arrested following her husband’s death, along with their two daughters, Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanzi, the family’s househelp, Amanyire, and Bugolobi Medical nursing officer Charles Otai.

The trial continues as the defence aims to further dismantle the prosecution’s case, particularly in light of the questioned reliability of the CCTV evidence.