“He Said He Would Kill Himself” – Molly Katanga Recounts Chilling Night in Court

2026-03-26 - 13:44

KAMPALA – There were emotional scenes in the High Court on Thursday as Molly Katanga, widow of slain businessman Henry Katanga, opened her defence with a chilling account of the events leading to her husband’s death. Appearing before Justice Comfort Kania, Molly, seated in the dock with a pink veil covering her scarred head, firmly denied accusations that she murdered her husband. “I did not kill my husband,” she told court, adding that she does not know how to use a gun and has no knowledge of its operation. Molly described her 35-year marriage to the late Katanga as peaceful, noting that he was an introverted and gentle man. However, she revealed that in the months leading to his death in November 2023, he had become increasingly stressed due to financial pressures stemming from his money-lending business. According to her testimony, one of the major sources of stress was unpaid debt, particularly from the late businessman Apollo Nyegamehe, commonly known as Aponye, who reportedly owed Katanga about Shs1.5 billion at the time of his death in a 2023 road crash. “I remember the day Aponye died. Henry told me, ‘It is like I have lost everything—my heart and everything I have worked for,’” Molly recounted. She told court that her husband often complained about clients failing to repay loans, describing the situation as overwhelming and depressing. On the night before his death, Molly said Katanga returned home visibly distressed, lamenting about his business struggles and declaring he was done with the trade. “I am done with this business, it is stressing me, I am depressed,” she quoted him as saying. She later retired to the prayer room, leaving him seated in the dining area. After about an hour, she returned, bid him goodnight, and went to bed. Katanga later joined her but remained restless throughout the night. The following morning, Molly narrated a terrifying ordeal that left her severely injured. She told court that while in the bathroom, Katanga attacked her, repeatedly hitting her with a baton as she tried to shield herself. “He continued beating me as I asked, ‘What has happened?’ I tried to protect myself, but he dragged me and kept hitting me on the head,” she said. Molly sustained serious injuries, including fractures in her hands and deep cuts on her head, which she displayed in court. “What you see on my head is after reconstruction. My hands were broken, and I still suffer dizziness, headaches, and loss of balance,” she said. She further testified that during the attack, Katanga momentarily stopped and uttered words that have since formed the core of her defence. “He said, ‘I am going to kill myself now.’ At that moment, I heard a loud sound, followed by immediate silence,” she told court in a low tone. Molly maintains that her husband’s actions were out of character and believes he may have suffered a mental breakdown triggered by overwhelming financial stress. She also revealed that weeks before his death, Katanga had complained of persistent headaches linked to stress but declined medical treatment, insisting that medication could not solve what he described as “just stress.” With the trial now entering a critical phase, the court is expected to closely examine whether the circumstances described by Molly could point to suicide or support the prosecution’s case of murder. The case continues.