Four Suspects Arraigned In Court For Assassinating Joan Kagezi

By Ivan Kaahwa

In a significant development, after eight years, four suspects linked to the murder of Joan Kagezi have been brought before Nakawa Magistrates Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Erias Kakooza.

The suspects, namely Kibuuka John, Massage John, Kiseka Dan, and Nasuru Abudallah, have been charged with one count of murdering Joan Kagezi and one count of terrorism. The court informed them that their actions were intended to create fear among the government and the people, as they were involved in the gruesome assassination of Joan Kagezi in Kiwatule, Nakawa division, Kampala District.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is confident in the evidence gathered to proceed with the trial, although nearly 20 suspects were released earlier due to lack of evidence. Some other suspects related to the case are still at large.

The court session was attended by a large number of prosecutors from the DPP, including the deceased’s children. However, the accused were not allowed to enter a plea because Nakawa Magistrates Court does not have jurisdiction to handle such capital offenses. Without legal representation, the four suspects have been remanded to Luzira until November 20, 2023.

Joan Kagezi, who served as the Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the International War Crimes Division Department at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, was shot dead in Kiwatule on her way home by assailants riding a motorcycle on March 30, 2015. 

This tragic incident sent shockwaves across the nation, considering her pivotal role as the lead prosecutor in the case involving 15 Al-Shabaab suspects who were being tried for bombings in Lugogo and the Ethiopian village in Kabalalaga, where over 70 people lost their lives.

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