The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Justice Jane Frances Abodo, has written to the Principal Judge, Flavia Zeija over the delayed resumption of the murder trial of businessman Matthew Kanyamunyu.
In her September 7 letter that this newspaper has seen, the chief government prosecutor, requests the Judiciary to make arrangements and have the high profile murder case that has taken about eight months in limbo, resume.
“I refer to the above subject matter where the two accused persons were indicted with murder in 2016. The case was later cause listed for trial which kicked off in February 2020 before Justice Stephen Mubiru and it abruptly ended in March 2020 due to lack of sufficient funds to conclude the session,” DPP Abodo wrote to the Principal Judge.
“We have so far led 12 witnesses all duly cross-examined. Our 13th and final witness is pending cross examination by defence counsel. The purpose of this communication is to request that arrangements be made for hearing to continue, this being a public interest case,” she added.
Efforts to reach out to the Principal Judge were futile as he didn’t pick our repeated calls by press time.
Kanyamunyu alongside his girlfriend, Cynthia Munwangari, are accused of murdering Kenneth Akena, a child rights activist on November 12, 2016 near Malik Car Bond opposite Uganda Manufacturers Association main gate on Kampala-Jinja Road after he allegedly brushed the rear of his car.
Earlier this year, government ballistic expert, Ms Robinah Kirinya, attached to the Firearms and Tools Division, told court that she discovered gun powder on Kanyamunyu’s pair of trousers, shirt and a host of items recovered from the glove compartment of his car.
The request by the DPP to have the Kanyamunyu trial resume, comes at the time when Kanyamunyu travelled to Acholi to allegedly apologise to the family of the late Akena under their cultural traditional justice system dubbed “mato-oput”
According to sources that are privy to the mato-oput negotiations that took place at the weekend at the palace of the paramount chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acan II, Kanyamunyu allegedly confessed to have caused the death of Akena when a bullet accidentally was released by his gun following a heated quarrel between them over their cars.
Further, the sources said, after the Acholi leaders got satisfied that Kanyamunyu’s confession was genuine, they fined him 10 cows and five goats to atone for the loss of their son.
The prime minister of Acholi Cultural Institution, Mr Ambrose Oola, said there is still some traditional rituals ongoing in regards to the reconciliation process between the two families.
‘‘The Acholi chief will himself address the media on the matter, either on Wednesday or Thursday,” he said yesterday.
