Businessman Henry Katanga’s murder trial continued on Monday, July 15, with his lawyer, Ronald Mugabe Ruranga, testifying about their discussions prior to Katanga’s death. Molly Katanga, along with her daughters Patricia Kakwanza and Martha Nkwanzi, domestic worker George Amanyire, and nursing officer Charles Otai, are accused of being involved in Katanga’s murder and subsequent cover-up.
Katanga died from gunshot wounds to his head on November 2 of last year at their residence on Mbuya Chwa II Road in Kampala. The case is being heard by Justice Isaac Muwata. Prosecuting the case are Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Samali Wakooli, Chief State Attorneys Jonathan Muwaganya, and Anna Kiiza. The defense team includes lawyers Peter Kabatsi, MacDosman Kabega, Jet Tumwebaze, Bruce Musinguzi, and Elison Karuhanga. Mwesigwa Rukutana, a renowned lawyer, is monitoring the proceedings on behalf of Katanga’s family.
Here is a verbatim transcript of the court proceedings:
Judge: What is your religion, sir?
Ruranga: I am a Protestant.
He is given a Bible to take the oath.
Prosecutor Muwaganya: Repeat your full name for the court record.
Witness: Ronald Mugabe Ruranga.
Muwaganya: How old are you?
Ruranga: I am 45 years old.
Muwaganya: What do you do for a living?
Ruranga: I am a lawyer, businessman, and farmer.
Muwaganya: Are you a practicing lawyer and how do you practice it?
Ruranga: I practice with Agaba and Company Advocates, situated on Nkrumah Road in Kampala.
Muwaganya: For how long have you been practicing?
Ruranga: For 17 years.
Muwaganya: Do you know any of the accused persons, starting with the lady on the screen (Molly)?
Ruranga: I do.
Muwaganya: How do you know her (Molly)?
Ruranga: She is Molly Katanga Bananukye. She was a wife to my client, Henry Katanga Macuua.
Muwaganya: What about A2 (accused two Kakwanza) and A3 (Nkwanzi)?
Ruranga: They are daughters of the late Katanga.
Muwaganya: Do you know the fourth (Otai) and fifth (Amanyire) accused persons?
Ruranga: No.
Muwaganya: How do you know Henry Katanga?
Ruranga: Katanga was my client, personal friend, and business associate.
Muwaganya: Let’s begin with your relationship with him as your client. For how long was he your client?
Ruranga: My lord, Henry Katanga was my client for almost 17 years.
Muwaganya: How did you relate with him as a client?
Ruranga: As a client, he would give me instructions. He was a moneylender, and I would draft all his agreements, including sales contracts. I would also effect transfers in some of his titles.
Muwaganya: What about as a friend?
Ruranga: He was my personal friend. Katanga would check on me before going to his office, located at the Uganda Cooperative Alliance building opposite the Police post on Nkrumah road. Our offices were on the same floor and building. A one Ninsiima, Katanga, and I regularly had lunch together at 1:00 pm at Nkrumah because he (Katanga) was cautious about his health. He would invite me to his family functions, especially for his daughters’ give-away ceremonies. We would also hang out together, although I do not drink alcohol. Sometimes, the deceased would come to my bar on Mukwano Road to drink, and we would spend time there. Katanga and I would go to Silver Springs and Lugogo to hang out as well.
Muwaganya: So, from your close interaction with Katanga, first as a lawyer, you said that you used to author documents for him. Would he (Katanga) deal with the documents that you authored?
Ruranga: Yes, I did, because I was under instructions to draft sale agreements.
Muwaganya: After drafting documents, did you require Katanga to do anything?
Ruranga: He (Katanga) would sign in my presence and with those who took the money. Katanga had very good handwriting.
Muwaganya: Which hand was he using to write?
Ruranga: He used his right hand to write and eat.
Muwaganya: Just for the record again. You have told the court how Katanga was close to you as counsel and personal friend. What kind of a person was Katanga in terms of character?
Ruranga: He was a gentleman. If this court had asked me to name one to ten gentlemen, he would take all the positions. He was a cool, genuine man, and his temperedness was measured, despite hanging out. He would also listen more and talk less. My lord, Katanga had a very good memory because when you would make an appointment with him, he would keep time. He would note and write everything that you tell him. He was jovial, cool, and jolly.
Muwaganya: Do you remember where you were on October 30, 2023?
Ruranga: On October 30, 2023, while in Ntinda, Kampala, I received a call from Katanga using a different number, saying he wanted to give me some documents. Since my secretary was not in the office, I told Katanga to give the documents to my partner, Maguru Agaba. Agaba called me and said he had received documents from Katanga, and I told him that I would be able to see Katanga the next day (November 1, 2023). Unfortunately, I was unable to see him that day (November 1, 2023) because I did not go to the office.
Muwaganya: What followed?
Ruranga: I told Agaba to send Katanga a WhatsApp message, stating that we shall meet on November 2, 2023, at 10:00 am. But Agaba called him, and we agreed to meet at the same time as scheduled.
Muwaganya: So, what happened?
Ruranga: We waited for Katanga on that day at 10:00 am, but he did not show up. However, later at about 12:00 pm, we received a call that Katanga, who you were waiting for, is dead. After knowing about Katanga’s death, I added a second padlock to Katanga’s closed office.
Muwaganya: Why did you think of that option as soon as you heard of his death?
Ruranga: I did it for security reasons because I thought he had been assassinated or died on the road. Therefore, I believed some people would come to his office and take his documents. The following day (November 3, 2023), the police from Jinja Road went to the management of the building, which housed Katanga’s office, and arranged for a meeting, but I requested that the deceased’s office be opened in the presence of the Local Council 1 (LC1) chairperson of the area and the in-charge of the police post opposite our offices.
Judge: Did you also attend the meeting?
Ruranga: Yes.
Muwaganya: So, what happened?
Ruranga: The purpose was to open Katanga’s office. So, I gave the police a key for the second padlock after they had opened the first one using a key given to them by the security officer of the building. They opened Katanga’s office and broke the money safe.
Muwaganya: Was this in your presence?
Ruranga: Yes. They found documents including cheques, sh21m, and other currencies in the safe.
Muwaganya: How did the exercise end?
Ruranga: The exercise ended by signing a search document. However, I did not sign the document because I had gone to All Saints’ Cathedral in Nakasero for Katanga’s funeral service.
Muwaganya: How did you get to know about the documents that were signed during the search?
Ruranga: The investigating officer left a copy of the document for me.
Muwaganya: Did you attend Katanga’s burial?
Ruranga: Yes. I attended the burial at Katanga’s home in Orwera Kikatsi, Kiruhura district.
Muwaganya: Did you come to know why Katanga was looking for you and why he had left the document with your colleague on your instructions?
Ruranga: I came to know later from Noame Nyangweso (Katanga’s sister) that the businessman wanted to make a will.
Muwaganya: Did you get to know the documents Katanga left for your action?
Ruranga: I did, my lord.
Muwaganya: What documents did he (Katanga) hand over to your colleague?
Ruranga: It was a bag containing an envelope that had an original certificate of title, original agreements for purchase and sale of land, photocopies of certificate of titles, and some written stickers indicating where he bought the land and the balance.
Muwaganya: In respect to the matter before this court, is there something else you would want to tell the court?
Ruranga: Yes, my lord. Katanga loved and cared for his health. Secondly, one of his friends, a one Ninsiima, died of cancer and after two months, another general, who is his friend, also died of liver cancer. Following the incident, Katanga came to my office and said: “Have you seen how people are dying?” We shall not die like dogs, a reason why I need to do a general check-up for the betterment of my health. Katanga said he underwent a general health check-up around August and September 2023.
Muwaganya: That is all for me.
The witness is available for cross-examination.
Defence lawyer Kabatsi: My lord, we pray for a short adjournment.
The defense lawyers went outside the courtroom and got engaged in a discussion.
Judge: We shall resume after 20 minutes. (At half-past midday).
Kabatsi: My learned friend will cross-examine the witness.
Judge: You can proceed. The witness is reminded that he is still on oath.
Defence lawyer Kabega: Ruranga, you said you have been a lawyer for 17 years. When did you get enrolled?
Ruranga: In 2007.
Kabega: Your name is Ronald Mugabe Ruranga?
Ruranga: Yes.
Kabega: I want to suggest to you that you are lying to this court because you are not an advocate.
Judge: Do you have the answer?
Ruranga: It is not true, my lord.
Kabega: I want you to read that document (practicing certificate) from Judiciary’s chief registrar’s office. The document dated June 25, 2024, indicates that Ronald Mugabe Ruranga has not appeared on their record as an advocate. The document was signed by Patricia Amoko (Private Legal Secretary to the Chief Registrar). Is she lying that you are not an advocate?
Ruranga: She is lying.
Kabega: We pray that the document is tendered in court as a defense exhibit for identification purposes.
Judge: What is your response to the defense’s request?
Muwaganya: My lord, we object because the witness on the stand is not the author. Apart from the document mentioning his name, there is no background that has been made to establish a nexus between the witness and the document. So, it cannot be tendered in through this witness. They (defense team) can bring the Chief Registrar as the author to tender the document in court.
Kabega: Section 73 (a) (iii) of the Evidence Act states that documents forming the acts or records of the acts of public officers, legislative, judicial, and executive, can be tendered in court. This document was signed by the registrar of this court, who is a public officer and the witness confirms that it is his name that is on the document. The document can, therefore, be tendered in court.
Muwaganya: My Lord, section 73 of the Evidence Act only speaks to what a public document is but does not deal with how public documents are tendered in court. My lord, it is our contention that even public documents have to be first proved and tendered in court through a rightful witness. As such, this section does not say that you can tender a public document through any witness on the stand.
Kabega: My lord, this man gave us his full name and accepted that it is his name in the letter. The document concerns the witness on the stand.
Judge: Do you have any other questions in cross-examination? I will read the law and determine whether the document should be tendered in court.
Kabega: The name indicated in the letter is your full name?
Ruranga: Yes.
Kabega: Do you have a practicing certificate in those names?
Ruranga: I do not have.
Kabega: If you are a practicing advocate, then you are doing it illegally.
Ruranga: It is not true, my lord.
Kabega: Do you have a copy of documents, which you signed when the deceased was executing minutes or any transfers? Do you have one here?
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