The trial of murder suspect Mathew Kanyamunyu has been pushed to October 27 2020 over funds.
Kanyamunyu is jointly charged with his Burundian girlfriend Cynthia Munangwari and his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu for allegedly shooting a children’s rights activist Kenneth Akena to death. This was on November 12, 2016 along Kampala-Jinja Highway near Malik Car bond, opposite the main gate of Uganda Manufacturer’s Association in Lugogo Nakawa Division.
The trial of Kanyamunyu and his co accused is among those 40 criminal cases that were expected to be heard starting today before the High Court Criminal Division Judge Stephen Mubiru and be concluded within 45 days.
However, the Judiciary Public Relations Officer Jameson Karemani has told URN on phone that the case will not be taking place because they had expected to get funds to enable the smooth running of the session but they have not yet gotten them.
Karemani who did not reveal how much is need however is optimistic that by the end of the next week, they will have secured some funds to enable the special criminal session to be conducted.
In February 2020 at the time of adjourning Kanyamunyu’s trial to the next convenient session, the prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya had adduced evidence from 13 witnesses.
However, in September 2020, the prime Suspect Matthew Kanyamunyu visited the Acholi leaders for a traditional ritual commonly known as Mato Oput, an Acholi word that literally means “to drink a bitter portion made from the leaves of the ‘oput’ tree”.
It is one of the mechanisms for forgiveness and reconciliation among the Acholi in Northern Uganda.
It is alleged that while at the ritual, Kanyamunyu reportedly admitted to killing the deceased and was asked to pay ten cows and three goats by the elders in Acholi.
Previously Kanyamunyu had pleaded not guilty before the trial Judge.
The deceased Akena who was shot in the chest in Lugogo died at Norvik Hospital where he had reportedly been taken by Kanyamunyu upon Munangwari’s insistence, for treatment.
But before going for Mato Oput, Kanyamunyu had maintained that with his co accused, they had taken Akena to the hospital as good samaritans but they are not the ones who had shot the deceased.
Mathew Kanyamunyu who was in the same car with his girlfriend Munangwari is alleged to have been the one who pulled the trigger and then his brother Joseph hid the killer pistol and to date it has never been seen.
Legal experts have since said that since Kanyamunyu went to the Acholi leaders and confessed in Mato Put, he either has to opt for plea bargaining before the trial Judge or change his plea.
