KAMPALA, UGANDA— The highly publicized murder trial of Henry Katanga took a dramatic turn today as telephone call logs contradicted key witness Naome Nyangweso’s claims of closeness to the deceased.
Defense counsel Jet Tumwebaze presented evidence that Henry and Naome spoke only twice in the two months leading up to his death, casting doubt on Naome’s testimony.
One of these calls revealed Henry’s decision to choose cousin Lydia Kabirisi to play the significant cultural role of “ishenkazi” (paternal aunt) at his daughter Tricia’s wedding.
Naome allegedly blames her sister-in-law, Molly Katanga, for Henry’s decision and has harbored resentment towards her since.
Under cross-examination, Naome admitted that she didn’t feel obligated to care for Henry’s bereaved family after his death.
When questioned about her actions, Naome asked the court, “Why should I care about Henry’s widow and her children?”
In contrast, Henry’s phone records revealed frequent communication with his wife, Molly, with at least two calls daily from September to October 30th.
These findings suggest a strained relationship between Henry and Naome, contradicting her earlier claims.
The defense team suggested that Naome’s motives for accusing Molly of involvement in Henry’s death stem from her own feelings of resentment.
The prosecution objected to several questions, citing relevance and potential prejudice.
The trial continues, with Naome’s credibility and motives under scrutiny.
The court adjourned until tomorrow, with further cross-examination expected.
Ms. Nyangweso has been at the centre of controversy due to inconsistencies in her testimony.
Defense lawyers have previously accused Nyangweso of intentionally delaying the trial by choosing to testify in Runyankore instead of English despite being proficient in both languages. This move has raised suspicions, as Nyangweso had previously issued three police statements in English and serves as the LC1 chairperson for Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb where English is a dominant transactional lingua.
Nyangweso has also faced tough questioning over her response to the scene when informed of Katanga’s death. Additionally, in a land dispute case between the late Prince John Barigye and the estate of the late Arthur Edwin Katanga, Nyangweso testified under oath that she was the biological daughter of Arthur Edwin Katanga, which has been proven false.
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