Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nixon Agasirwe Karuhanga, the former Commandant of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), has been remanded on charges of murdering Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Joan Kagezi Namazzi.
Agasirwe appeared on Monday before the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Esther Nyadoi, and was charged with one count of murder.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief State Attorneys Richard Birivumbuka and Joseph Kyomuhendo, Agasirwe and others still at large allegedly caused the death of Kagezi on March 30, 2015, at Kiwatule in Nakawa Division, Kampala District, with malice aforethought.
Magistrate Nyadoi informed Agasirwe that he could not take a plea, as the offence is capital in nature and can only be tried by the High Court. He therefore did not enter a plea.
Agasirwe attempted to apply for bail, explaining that he had only managed to alert his lawyer 30 minutes before the session and had not been aware he would be brought to court that day.
However, the magistrate advised that bail could only be handled by the High Court and stressed the importance of his lawyer’s presence in preparation for the next court appearance.
Prosecution revealed that investigations into the case are still ongoing. As a result, Agasirwe was remanded until July 8, 2025.
Deputy spokesperson for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Irene Nakimbugwe, stated that new evidence had emerged beyond the confession of one of the convicts already found guilty of Kagezi’s murder.
She described the arrest and arraignment of Agasirwe—following ten years of investigation—as a significant breakthrough.
“It’s been 10 solid years. We’ve had another breakthrough. We’ve arrested and charged Ewa Nixon Agasirwe for the murder of Joan Kagezi. He’s been taken to court today, and inquiries are still ongoing. He will return to court on July 8, 2025,” Nakimbugwe said.
Agasirwe’s lawyer, Ahmed Kalule Mukasa, arrived after the session had concluded. He declined to speak to the media, noting that he needed to review the charge sheet before commenting.
Agasirwe’s arrest follows testimony from Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, a convict in the case, who told the International Crimes Division of the High Court that Agasirwe provided the money used to carry out the assassination. Kisekka testified before a panel of four judges on May 21, 2025, and Agasirwe was arrested shortly thereafter.
Currently, three other suspects—John Kibuuka, John Masajjagge, and Nasur Abudallah Mugonole—remain on trial for terrorism and murder in relation to the Kagezi killing. With Agasirwe’s arrest, the number of suspected perpetrators in the case rises to four.
The fifth person, Daniel Kisekka, was convicted after pleading guilty. He admitted his role in the crime and revealed that the group received UGX 500,000 from Agasirwe to carry out the murder. For cooperating with the court, Kisekka was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
This is not Agasirwe’s first encounter with the justice system. He previously spent five years in prison before being granted bail by the General Court Martial on March 7, 2022. He had been in detention since October 24, 2017, on charges including failure to protect war materials and the illegal repatriation of Rwandan refugees.
Agasirwe first appeared in court on February 13, 2018, on charges of unlawful possession of ammunition. Later that year, he was charged alongside former Inspector General of Police Gen. Edward Kale Kayihura and ten others, including senior police officers and foreign nationals.
The charges related to the unlawful possession of military-grade weapons—including tortoise grenades—as well as the illegal repatriation of Rwandan refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda.
Among those reportedly abducted and repatriated were Lt. Joel Mutabazi, former bodyguard to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Jackson Karemera alias Odinga, and Sgt. Innocent Kalisa.
The group also faced charges of failing to supervise and account for weapons issued to specialized police units, which were later found in unauthorized hands. Another key figure in these related cases was Abdullah Kitatta, former Patron of Boda Boda 2010, who was convicted and has since served his sentence.
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