Judge warns Kanyamunyu lawyers against disrespectful language

Judge warns Kanyamunyu lawyers against disrespectful language
Mathew Kanyamunyu (left) and Cynthia Munwangari while appearing before High Court in Kampala on 8th January, 2020.

Kampala, Uganda | URN | High Court Judge Steven Mubiru has warned the lawyers of prime murder suspect Mathew Kanyamunyu and his Burundian girlfriend Cynthia Munagwari to desist from using disrespectful language.

Kanyamunyu, his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu and Munangwari are accused of shooting dead child rights activist Kenneth Akena on November 12, 2016, along the Kampala Jinja highway near Malik car bond in Lugogo Nakawa Division.

On Tuesday 11th, the suspects appeared in court together with their lawyers including Caleb Alaka, MacDusman Kabega and Evans Ochieng to cross-examine prosecution witness Sergeant Patrick Alunyu who was one of the investigators in the case.

Alunyu was being cross-examined on the testimony he made last week in which he said that he conducted a search at the homes of the accused persons, recorded a statement from the two Nakasero hospital guards and participated in reconstructing the scene of crime.

However, Alunyu could not answer how it was possible to conduct a search at Kanyamunyu’s home at Butabiika Royal Palm and immediately after four minutes also conduct another search at Munangwari’s home in Port Bell, Luzira.

Read Also: Kanyamunyu mistook Akena for an assassin – Police detective

Alaka later referred Alunyu to the search certificate and asked him to tell the truth that he exactly did the search at the home of the accused persons. But Alunyu said that the document indicates that his senior superintendent of police Deogratius Obongo did the search.

Alaka also told the witness that he had lied to court by saying that the search had been conducted in the presence of the accused persons whereas not. Justice Mubiru told Alaka that he had become disrespectful citing that the kind of language he was using.

Read Also: Akena’s belongings found with Kanyamunyu – Prosecution Witness

Alunyu had to clarify to court that although Kanyamunyu was not at his home during the search, he sent his brother whom he reportedly trusted to be around as detectives did their work. Alaka also asked Alunyu if he was suspicious about Kanyamunyu’s actions of taking the deceased to the hospital after the shooting.

In his response, Alunyu noted that since Kanyamunyu suspected the deceased to be an assassin from the government of Burundi who was threatening to harm Munangwari, naturally they shouldn’t have gone together in the same car. He said instead, Kanyamunyu should have left Munangwari at the nearest police station for her safety before continuing with Akena to hospital.

The case was adjourned to today Wednesday for further hearing and bail of the accused persons extended till then.