🔴 Anthony Natif notes from Court: Molly Katanga gets green light to bring ballistics expert

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reported that Justice Rosette Comfort Kania has allowed Molly Katanga’s defence team to call expert witnesses in the case of Uganda Vs Molly Katanga, rejecting a prosecution bid to stop them. According to the report, the state had objected to the defence bringing a ballistics expert, a gunshot residue expert and another witness, arguing that the disclosure stage had already passed.

The report, based on court notes by Anthony Natif, says the defence relied on Article 28 of Uganda’s Constitution, arguing that preventing Katanga from presenting witnesses of her choosing would undermine her fair-trial rights. The defence also noted that she faces charges carrying a possible death sentence. Justice Kania accepted the defence position, while placing limits on the expert evidence, including that it should not simply repeat testimony already given.

The Independent added that the issue is significant because the trial judge had earlier relied in part on prosecution ballistics and gunshot residue evidence when finding that Katanga had a case to answer. Katanga’s lawyers are seeking to use their own experts to challenge that material on the court record.

The trial did not proceed as expected on Tuesday. The defence had brought a fifth witness, described as a photographer who took images at the Katanga residence, but prosecutors said they were not ready because the witness and evidence had not been properly disclosed. The matter is set to resume on Thursday with further cross-examination of DW3, an orthopaedic surgeon who treated Katanga, while the photographer is expected to testify later after the state reviews the images.