KAMPALA 19 MAY 2025: In a landmark development, a decade after the assassination of former Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Namazzi Kagezi, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has secured a guilty plea and conviction in the Joan Kagezi case. The High Court of Uganda sitting at the International Crimes Division, has today, Monday, May 19, 2025, entered a guilty plea from one of the accused Kisekka Daniel Kiwanuka, 47, who pleaded guilty to the charge of murder under a plea bargain arrangement.
Kisekka, a former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) corporal, admitted to participating in the premeditated killing of Kagezi on March 30, 2015, in exchange for a proposed sentence of 35 years’ imprisonment. His plea followed years of evasion and concealment, during which he lived under the radar in Kayunga District.
Records tendered in court revealed that the assassination was part of a meticulously planned criminal mission allegedly commissioned by an undisclosed high-profile individual. The plot was executed by one former UPDF soldier and known hardcore criminal collaborators, including Kisekka, Kibuuka John, Nasur Abdallah Mugonole, and Massajjage John.
According to the facts agreed upon in the plea bargain, the accused and his accomplices orchestrated the murder for a promised fee of USD 200,000. Each conspirator initially received UGX 500,000 as a down payment.
According to a statement from the ODPP, Kisekka confessed that on the day of the assassination, he and Nasur Mugonole acted as a backup team while Kibuuka and Massajjage carried out the actual shooting. The murder occurred in Kiwatule, Kampala, in full view of Kagezi’s children. Kibuuka reportedly pulled the trigger, shooting Kagezi twice in the neck as she sat in her official vehicle.
Although investigations into the case were intensive, progress stalled for over eight years until 2023, when new intelligence revived the inquiry. Kisekka was arrested in October of that year on unrelated charges in Luwero, which led to his identification as a suspect in the Kagezi case.
During interrogation, he confessed to his role in the assassination and provided crucial details that enabled investigators to reconstruct the crime scene and verify the involvement of the other accused. Authorities also located the witchdoctor, who admitted to performing protective rituals on the accused trio shortly after the murder, allegedly to shield them from arrest and “silence the case.”
Kisekka’s criminal record dated back to 2008, when he was charged with aggravated robbery before the General Court Martial. He had escaped from Makindye Military Barracks after pleading not guilty and remained at large for years. The weapons used in the assassination were reportedly among those he stole upon deserting the UPDF in 2006 -the statement showed.
Despite prior arrests, Kisekka had no official convictions until this plea bargain. The court noted several aggravating factors in the murder, including the brutal nature of the killing, the presence of Kagezi’s children at the scene, the profit-driven motive, and the blatant disregard for human life and public safety.
The court confirmed a 35-year imprisonment term as agreed upon in the plea bargain agreement, marking a significant breakthrough in the long-standing pursuit of justice in the assassination of one of Uganda’s most esteemed prosecutors. Thomas Jatiko, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, represented the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the matter.
The panel of judges who presided over the case included Justice Michael Elubu (Head of the Panel), Justice Stephen Mubiru, Justice Dr. Winfred Nabisinde, and Justice Celia Nagawa.
Joan Kagezi, who had been heading the International Crimes Department in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of her death, had served as lead prosecutor in numerous high-profile terrorism and war crimes cases. Her assassination sent shockwaves through Uganda’s legal community and prompted renewed calls for stronger protection for prosecutors and judicial officers.
The case against the remaining accused persons; Kibuuka John, Massajjage John, and Nasur Abdallah Mugonole remains ongoing.
According the PRO for ODDP, Jacquelyn Okui, the conviction and 35-year sentencing of Kisekka Daniel Kiwanuka for the assassination of former Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Kagezi signals a firm stand against organized crime. “This landmark decision restores public confidence in the investigative and prosecutorial ability to pursue justice, regardless of the passage of time. It demonstrates how plea bargaining, when used strategically, can continue to help dismantle complex criminal networks. The case affirms the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ unwavering commitment to accountability, even when justice targets those embedded in powerful or clandestine circles.” Jacquelyn Okui
stated.
“Moving forward, the decision sends a strong message that no individual involved in organised crime, regardless of military background or mystical protections, will evade the reach of the law. It also demonstrates the importance of safeguarding prosecutors and judicial officers; whose roles remain crucial to upholding the rule of law.” She noted in a statement.
The ODPP appreciated the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) of the Uganda Police Force and Internal Security Organisation (ISO) for the investigations and intelligence that culminated into the arrest of Kisekka and his collaborators.
“As the ODPP continues to handle high-profile prosecutions, this conviction rings a clear bell against impunity and portrays the defence of legal officers who courageously confront terror and other serious crimes.” The statement adds.
Source: PRO, Office of the DPP.
