Police showed the gun they say killed businessman Henry Katanga at Monday's court hearing. Derrick Nasawali brought the black pistol as proof. He runs the Ballistics section at Uganda Police and came as witness number 11 for the government. Molly Katanga stands accused of shooting her husband last November 2 at their Kampala home.
Judge Rosette Kania Comfort let the gun become official evidence in court. Nasawali said his lab got several items on November 3 last year. These included the pistol, bullets, a bullet fragment, a magazine, plus sheets and clothes from the Katanga house. He checked if the gun worked and could shoot real bullets.
Nasawali also looked at clothes from Molly, her daughter Patricia Kakwanzi, and nurse Charles Otai's shirt for gunshot particles. He tested swabs from Molly's right hand, the bullet wounds, and the gun barrel. One swab from her right hand showed gunshot residue, but another didn't. Her left hand tested positive for these particles.
The lab found gunshot traces on a dress from the master bedroom, a maroon and white dress belonging to their daughter, and around the bullet holes in Henry's ear. The nurse's clothes had no gunshot traces. Some questions came up about how the evidence was handled. Nasawali admitted two dresses were cut up and destroyed during testing.
He sent fabric samples to another police lab instead of testing them himself. His report from November 13 said the black pistol worked fine and could fire 9×19 millimeter bullets. The empty bullet case found on Katanga's bed matched this same gun. "The pistol was in good working condition," Nasawali told the court.
Defense lawyers Macdusman Kabega, Peter Kabatsi, John Jet Tumwebaze, and Elison Karuhanga asked many questions about his findings. Jonathan Muwaganya, Annah Kiiza, and Samalie Wakooli represent the government as prosecutors. Former Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana watches the case for Katanga's family members.
Judge Rosette Kania Comfort let the gun become official evidence in court. Nasawali said his lab got several items on November 3 last year. These included the pistol, bullets, a bullet fragment, a magazine, plus sheets and clothes from the Katanga house. He checked if the gun worked and could shoot real bullets.
Nasawali also looked at clothes from Molly, her daughter Patricia Kakwanzi, and nurse Charles Otai's shirt for gunshot particles. He tested swabs from Molly's right hand, the bullet wounds, and the gun barrel. One swab from her right hand showed gunshot residue, but another didn't. Her left hand tested positive for these particles.
The lab found gunshot traces on a dress from the master bedroom, a maroon and white dress belonging to their daughter, and around the bullet holes in Henry's ear. The nurse's clothes had no gunshot traces. Some questions came up about how the evidence was handled. Nasawali admitted two dresses were cut up and destroyed during testing.
He sent fabric samples to another police lab instead of testing them himself. His report from November 13 said the black pistol worked fine and could fire 9×19 millimeter bullets. The empty bullet case found on Katanga's bed matched this same gun. "The pistol was in good working condition," Nasawali told the court.
Defense lawyers Macdusman Kabega, Peter Kabatsi, John Jet Tumwebaze, and Elison Karuhanga asked many questions about his findings. Jonathan Muwaganya, Annah Kiiza, and Samalie Wakooli represent the government as prosecutors. Former Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana watches the case for Katanga's family members.
