The state has asked the court to deny bail to the daughters of murdered businessman Henry Katanga.
Chief state Attorney Jonathan Muwanganya, told Justice Isaac Muwata of the Kampala High Court court that it is of no use to grant bail to Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kakwanza who are charged with destroying/removing valuable evidence, when police investigations are concluded and prosecution is ready for trial with witnesses.
Duo had appeared before the High Court in Kampala that has set February 21, 2024, as the date to rule on the bail application for sisters.
Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwanganya of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions urged Justice Isaac Muwata to deny bail and schedule the trial immediately, stating the state is ready with witnesses.
Muwanganya further requested that if the judge considers bail, he should set strict conditions: land titles and passports deposited with the court, weekly reporting to the registrar, and sureties bonded for not less than 100 million shillings each.
Nkwanzi and Kakwanza were arrested with their mother, Molly Katanga, after the murder of their father, a city businessman, at their home on November 2, 2023. The trio is currently held on remand at Luzira prison alongside a shamba boy, George Amanyire, and a medical practitioner, Charles Otai.
Unlike their mother, who faces murder charges, the sisters applied for bail, presenting their husbands and in-laws as surities. The state did not object to these sureties.
In their application, Nkwanzi and Kakwanza argue their constitutional right to bail, claiming they are innocent and eager to prove it. Nkwanzi specifically mentions being a new mother with a breastfeeding baby who needs her care.
Amanyire and Otai also requested bail, citing their roles as sole breadwinners for their families. However, the DPP argued against their release, stating they provided no proof of residence and their sureties lacked connections to them.
