Stanbic Bank has moved to close an account worth $8, (Shs 30b) that belonged to fallen city businessman, Henry Katanga. The account was under Merge (U) Ltd that was owned by Henry Katanga and his wife, Molly Katanga.
For the past decade, the company accumulated cash deposits from different sources. Mr. Katana had secured procurement deals with the Ministry of Defense. It’s said that he supplied the UPDF with grain. Therefore, with such huge deals, the company grew tremendously thus the insurmountable wealth.
Sources privy to the matter said that Ms Molly tried to funnel the money out of the bank to foreign banks. This was in the aftermath of her husband’s death. She tried to make the bank succumb to pressure to let her withdraw the money. However, after legal advice, Stanbic Bank froze the account.
“Subsequently, when Molly was supposed to be admitted to the hospital, she tried to pressure the bank to release the funds, intending to transfer $8M abroad,” said a source.
“The bank sought legal advice, leading to the freezing of the account, which remains inaccessible.” It should be recalled that early this year, the Nakawa Chief Magistrate, Erias Kakooza remanded 55 year old Molly Katanga to Luzira prison. This was on charges of murdering her husband in cold blood.
According to information heard by the Court, Molly is said to have shot her husband in November 2nd with a pistol. This led to his death in their home along Mbuya Chwa II road, Nakawa Division.
However, her allies tried to exonerate her and justify her crimes. They said that she had been a victim of domestic abuse for quite long. In the aftermath of the murder, she was admitted to IHK Hospital with several head injuries.
Barnabas Taremwa a close friend and businessman of the deceased filed in a petition with the High Court seeking an inquest into the circumstances under which Henry Katanga died in.
In this petition, Mr. Taremwa said that:-
“Identity of the person(s) who, on the fateful morning of Thursday, November 2nd 2023, instructed Martha Nkwanzi Katanga to go to the bank to withdraw money as her slain father lay lifeless on his bedroom floor and who it is that countersigned a cheque for her in her mother’s alleged comatose state is of interest considering she is co-signatory with her mother on the same account:-and let alone, what purpose the money so withdrawn was intended to serve are all puzzles that are incapable of being resolved in absence of an inquest.”
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Hours after the death of Henry, his daughter, Nkwanzi reportedly withdrew Shs 300m from Stanbic account. However, anonymous family sources stated that this money was to be used to cover different expenses. They included medical, legal, and burial expenses.
