Four suspects alleged to have murdered Joan Kagezi, who was a Senior Assistant DPP and Head, International Crimes Department in the DPPs Office have finally been charged with two counts of murder of Joan Kagezi and terrorism at Nakawa magistrates court.
Four suspects, Kisseka Daniel Kiwanuka, Kibuuka John, Nasur Abdallah Mugonole, and Musajagge John, who are alleged to have murdered Joan Kagezi faced charges of terrorism and murder before Chief Magistrate Elias Kakooza at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court. The charges were related to the tragic shooting of former Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Joan Namazzi Kagezi, on March 30, 2015, as she was driving home with her children in Kiwatule, Nakawa Division, Kampala District.
The court, packed with over 30 prosecutors and members of Kagezi’s family, listened attentively as the prosecution argued that the accused had committed the horrible crime with the intent to influence the government and intimidate the public. Despite the gravity of the charges, Chief Magistrate Kakooza ruled that he lacked the jurisdiction to hear capital offenses, and the accused were remanded to Luzira government prison until November 20, 2023, for mention of their case.
State prosecutors, represented by Thomas Jatiko, an assistant DPP, and Lilian Omara, a chief state attorney, stood firm in their pursuit of justice. The courtroom was tense as the defendants, some of whom were already serving sentences in different prisons, were led away. Their arrest and subsequent appearance in court marked a significant development in an investigation that had spanned eight years.
Speaking on behalf of the prosecution agency, Irene Nakibungwe, the assistant DPP spokesperson, expressed hope that justice would be served. “We are glad that finally, the day has come. We are hopeful that we are going to get justice for the family, for the prosecution agency at large, that one of us was taken out of action when she was doing her work,” Nakibungwe said.
As the nation awaited the unfolding of this trial, the memory of Joan Namazzi Kagezi, a dedicated public servant, and the pursuit of justice for her death became a poignant reminder of the challenges faced in upholding the law and seeking truth and accountability.
