Molly Says Aponye Debt Stress Drove Henry Katanga to Breaking Point

In her gripping testimony as the defence started their case in the Katanga murder trial, Molly said her husband was troubled by millions of shillings tied up in informal deals with Nyegamehe, who was popularly known as Aponye, a close associate who died in a road accident.

The late businessman Henry Katanga was driven into financial distress linked to an unpaid debt owed to the late tycoon Apollo Nyegamehe, his widow Molly Katanga told the High Court on Thursday.

In her gripping testimony as the defence started their case in the Katanga murder trial, Molly said her husband was troubled by millions of shillings tied up in informal deals with Nyegamehe, who was popularly known as Aponye, a close associate who died in a road accident.

The funds were never recovered, leaving Henry Katanga under considerable financial strain.

“That money disturbed him a lot,” she said, describing sleepless nights and constant worry.

She added that the Aponye debt was part of a broader financial challenge, with other borrowers also failing to repay what they owed.

According to Molly, the cumulative pressure affected Henry Katanga’s behaviour, which grew increasingly anxious and withdrawn in the months preceding his death.

The court heard that tensions escalated in the days leading to the incident. Molly Katanga recounted a domestic altercation in which she sustained injuries, while witnesses outside the home reported hearing distress from inside the residence.

Her account indicated that the situation culminated in Henry Katanga taking his own life.

Henry Katanga was found dead on November 3, 2024, after a domestic dispute in which his wife Molly was left unconscious with life-threatening injuries.

The State, however, charged the widow with his murder and despite forensics experts proving earlier in the trial that the possibility of Henry Katanga pulled the trigger on himself, the court ordered the widow to take the defence.

The trial continues under presiding judge Rosette Kania, with the court examining the role of financial strain and mental stress in the events leading to the incident.