By Our Reporter
The trial of Molly Katanga, a widow who is accused of murdering her husband Henry Katanga is continuing with the prosecution presenting more witnesses in the matter.
Yesterday, defense lawyers accused the Director of the Police Forensic Science Directorate of concealing information about other individuals whose DNA was found on the trigger, trigger housing, and other objects at the crime scene.
This accusation arose after Andrew Mubiru, the Director of Forensic Science, informed the court that the collected samples showed DNA from more than three contributors.
The forensic report indicates the presence of DNA from Katanga’s daughter, Patricia Kakwanza, his widow, Molly Katanga, and the late Henry Katanga in the same location.
Further, defense lawyer Elison Karuhanga challenged the DNA evidence provided by forensic expert Andrew Mubiru, arguing that the machines used in the laboratory were contaminated. Karuhanga cited the presence of peaks in negative control tests, which he said should not have shown DNA.
“Contamination in the lab is a real issue, as evidenced by the peaks found in the negative control tests. This raises serious questions about the reliability of the results presented before the court,” Karuhanga argued.
Under cross-examination, Mubiru acknowledged that contamination is a significant risk in DNA testing. However, he reassured the court that the laboratory has an elimination database to minimize the impact of contamination.
“We are aware of the risks, and that’s why we have measures in place, including an elimination database, to ensure that any contamination is flagged,” Mubiru told the court.
Also, defense criticized Mubiru for using an outdated version of Euroformix, the DNA testing software, claiming that the version Mubiru used dates back to 2021, despite an updated version being available. Karuhanga also raised concerns over the fact that the software was downloaded from GitHub, a repository for open-source software.
“Mubiru used Euroformix 3.2.0, which was released in February 2021, even though an updated version has been available since January 2024. This version has known issues that could compromise the accuracy of the DNA results,” Karuhanga said, quoting a software bug report that highlighted that the outdated version struggled to evaluate certain DNA profiles properly.
However, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Samali Wakooli defended Mubiru, arguing that he is a forensic expert, not a software engineer, and that the defense’s focus on software versions is a distraction.
The above saw the court adjourn the session to Thursday at 10 a.m., with the defense expected to continue its cross-examination of the prosecution’s evidence.
Katanga died on November 2, 2023, in what prosecutors said was a deliberate plot by his wife to end his life.
The wife is charged alongside her children Martha Nkwanzi and Patricia Kankwanzi, for tampering and destroying evidence that could have been used to prove their father’s murder. They are also accused of aiding and abetting the crime alongside the family’s shamba boy George Amanyire and Charles Otai, a Nursing Officer.
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