High court throws out Kanyamunyu’s application.

By; Rachael Najjuma

09^th Nov. 2020

The High Court in Kampala has thrown out an application by businessman Matthew Kanyamunyu to halt his trial in a case where he is accused together with his girlfriend, Cynthia Munwangari of killing Kenneth Akena, a social worker.

Kanyamunyu asked court to halt the trial to enable him conclude the plea bargain process he has started with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, having gone through the Acholi justice system, locally known as Mato Oput.

However, this morning, Justice Stephen Mubiru ruled that he could not let the trial stall because of the traditional justice system that Kanyamunyu entered into adding that the (Mato Oput) is ambiguous and opaque that if one’s rights are violated, he or she is not protected by the rules of procedure,” He also mainted that Mato Oput is not interlinked with the criminal justice system in terms of testing the offender’s version of the story as it is with the criminal system where there is cross-examination of witnesses.

Justice Mukiibi noted that whereas plea bargain is allowed in the country’s criminal justice system, it is meant to discuss the punishment to be given to an offender after admitting the crime committed.

He however noted this is not the case with Kanyamunyu’s case. He blamed Kanyamunyu for playing tactics to delay the case which has lasted since 2017.

Matthew Kanyamunyu, the director Quantum Express Logistics and his girlfriend, Cynthia Munwangari are accused of the murder of Kenneth Akena, a former child rights activist who was shot in November 2016 at Lugogo and died a few hours later at Nakasero hospital from bullet wounds.