The murder trial of businesswoman Molly Katanga ground to an abrupt halt on Friday after High Court Judge Rosette Comfort Kania walked out of a tense courtroom following a heated dispute between prosecution and defense lawyers over medical photographs.
The dramatic confrontation occurred as the defense presented its third witness, an orthopedic surgeon who treated Molly shortly after the fatal shooting of her husband, businessman Henry Katanga, at their Mbuya home on November 2, 2023.
The witness, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, testified that he was called to the emergency unit of International Hospital Kampala (IHK)-now operating as C-Care-on the morning of the incident.
‘I was told there was a patient who needed my special attention at the Emergency Unit,’ the surgeon told the court.
He explained that when he arrived, Molly had already been placed under the care of a neurosurgeon for severe head injuries.
‘She had a heavy bandage on her head that was being taken care of by the neurosurgeon. I was called to assess her upper limbs,’ he testified.
The surgeon stated that clinical examinations and X-rays revealed extensive injuries, including multiple fractures to both hands. Molly had sustained fractures to the middle and ring fingers of her left hand, a fracture to the pinky finger of her right hand-the tip of which was partially detached-and severe soft-tissue swelling. She had also lost sensation in one of her fingers.
The doctor performed surgery on her hands and later authored a medical report dated November 13, 2023, which was admitted as evidence.
In testimony that could significantly bolster the defense’s case, the witness concluded that the wounds were classic “defense injuries,” typically sustained when a victim attempts to protect themselves from an attacker.
‘All the injuries are pathognomonic of defense injuries,’ the surgeon explained. ‘When somebody is facing assault, the natural reaction is to cover sensitive parts of the body. You try to defend your head as much as possible.’
He noted that the majority of the injuries were concentrated on the outer parts of Molly’s forearms and hands, aligning with defensive movements. He added that a nurse had photographed the injuries during treatment as part of the hospital’s official medical records.
However, proceedings took a chaotic turn when defense lawyers attempted to have the surgeon formally identify printed photographs of the injuries.
The prosecution fiercely objected, arguing that the witness could not legally identify the printouts because he had only ever viewed the digital versions stored in the hospital’s electronic database.
A prolonged, shouting exchange ensued as both sides debated the legal admissibility and identification of the photos. As tempers flared and control of the courtroom slipped away, Justice Kania abruptly rose and walked off the bench, effectively bringing the day’s proceedings to an end.
The judge later adjourned the hearing to June 23 for the continuation of the defense’s case.
The explosive session comes just days after another key defense witness, retired forensic pathologist Dr. Sylvester Onzivua, conceded under cross-examination that he had never personally examined Molly Katanga’s injuries and could not definitively determine the position Henry Katanga was in when he suffered the fatal gunshot wound.
Molly Katanga stands accused of murdering her husband, a charge she stoutly denies.
Her daughters, Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza, are jointly charged alongside Charles Otai and George Amanyire for being accessories after the fact and destroying evidence. All co-accused have pleaded not guilty.