Concerns over DNA evidence in high-profile murder case

The ongoing murder trial of Ugandan businessman Henry Katanga has brought to light significant concerns over the reliability of DNA evidence handled by the police forensic laboratory. The Nile Post reports that the forensic director Andrew Kizimula told the Kampala High Court that DNA samples processed in the police lab could potentially be contaminated. This admission followed three days of intense cross-examination by the defence team representing the widow of Katanga, who suffered a fatal gunshot at his Mbuya-Nakawa home on 2 November 2023. The defence challenged Kizimula's authority to conduct DNA analysis, arguing that the police are legally restricted from handling DNA tests in criminal cases because it is the domain of the Government Analytical Laboratory. It further accused Kizimula of operating under the influence of the DPP, alleging that the DNA report was tailored to fit the prosecution's narrative. It said Kizimula's report, which was produced in April, was dated two months after the DPP had publicly declared the intention to rely on DNA evidence.