Kampala, Uganda – Nearly a decade after the shocking assassination of Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Kagezi Namazzi, the wheels of justice have turned.
The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has sentenced Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, a former UPDF soldier and fugitive, to 35 years in prison for his role in her murder.
Kagezi, a respected prosecutor known for her fearless pursuit of justice in sensitive cases, was gunned down in March 2015 in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb, while driving home with her children.
Her killing sent shockwaves through Uganda and the international community.
On Monday, Kisekka—who had eluded capture for eight years—pleaded guilty to murder under a plea bargain arrangement with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
His admission came after the state, led by Assistant DPP Thomas Jatiko and Chief State Attorney Jacqueline Okui, dropped separate terrorism charges to focus on the murder case.
In court, a visibly composed Kisekka affirmed his understanding of the implications of his guilty plea, including the forfeiture of his right to trial, silence, and the presumption of innocence.
With his legal counsel, Henry Kunya, he accepted the amended charge sheet and acknowledged the facts of the case as read by the prosecution.
A Calculated Crime
The court learned that Kisekka, once stationed in Gulu with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), deserted his post and stole five AK-47 rifles.
He and accomplice John Kibuka smuggled the weapons to Kampala, where they joined a group of known criminals—Abdullah Nasulu Mugonole, John Masajjage alias Brian, and others—involved in a string of armed robberies.
Although arrested during the infamous Operation Wembley crackdown in 2008 and detained at Makindye Military Barracks, Kisekka escaped and disappeared.
He resurfaced in Kayunga District, running a charcoal business under an assumed identity.
In early 2015, Kibuka approached him with a deadly proposal: assassinate Joan Kagezi.
Though falsely described as a judge, Kisekka agreed to the job in exchange for a promised $200,000.
The real motive, court heard, was tied to Kagezi’s work prosecuting terrorism and high-profile criminal cases involving religious extremism.
On March 30, 2015, the plot unfolded. After receiving Shs2 million as a down payment, the group met in Kyebando to finalize plans.
Kibuka briefed them, and each man received Shs500,000. The firearms, cleaned and hidden in a sack, were distributed. Two motorcycles were used for the ambush.
At around 7 p.m., Kagezi, driving a Ford double cabin truck with her three children, pulled over in Ntinda.
The assassins struck. Kibuka, riding as a passenger, dismounted and shot Kagezi twice in the neck.
Kisekka fired into the air to deter pursuit as the killers fled toward Najjera. She was pronounced dead at Mulago Hospital shortly after.
Cover-Ups and Cold Trails
The group reconvened at their hideout to await payment, which never came.
In a bid to evade supernatural justice, they visited a witch doctor in Kayunga and performed rituals to “silence” the case—paying Shs200,000 for the service.
For years, the investigation stagnated. Leads went cold. But in 2023, credible intelligence pointed authorities back to the suspects.
Masajjage, then working as a boda boda rider in Wandegeya, was arrested and denied involvement.
Kibuka and Mugonole were already incarcerated for separate robbery convictions.
Kisekka’s own downfall came in October 2023, when he was arrested on unrelated theft charges in Luwero.
A background check linked him to the long-unsolved Kagezi case. In custody, he confessed.
“A Crime That Shook the Nation”
During sentencing, Assistant DPP Jatiko called the murder “premeditated and meticulously executed,” citing the use of stolen military weapons and the cold-blooded nature of the act.
“It was done in the presence of Kagezi’s three children. The trauma is unimaginable… it will live with them forever,” he said.
He described the killing as financially motivated, with paltry sums handed out in advance of a promised $200,000 from an unnamed “high-profile” sponsor.
The accused, Jatiko said, even sought supernatural protection to evade justice.
Kagezi, a single mother of four, was described as a pillar of Uganda’s legal system.
Her death, Jatiko noted, had a chilling effect on law enforcement and the broader fight against terrorism.
Defense counsel Henry Kunya argued for leniency, noting that Kisekka had accepted responsibility, cooperated with authorities, and saved court resources by entering a plea.
He revealed that Kisekka was the sixth of 22 siblings and had dependents, including three wives and several children.
Before sentencing, Kisekka spoke. “I apologize to the government, to the children of the deceased Joan Kagezi, to His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, and to the public. Please forgive me for my criminal actions,” he said.
Family Speaks Out
Kagezi’s children, George Phillip Kulubya and his sister Carole, presented a heartfelt victim impact statement.
“Our mother will never return, but we believe justice has been served,” they said. Their statement, prepared with counseling psychiatrist Susan Tashobya, was formally submitted to the court.
However, the judges—led by Justice Michael Elubu and including Justices Steven Mubiru, Dr. Winifred Nabisinde, and Celia Nagawa—rejected a separate victim impact report from the DPP’s office.
“This is a unique case. The deceased was a prosecutor. It wouldn’t be in the interest of justice for the prosecuting office to also serve as victim,” Elubu explained.
After careful deliberation, the panel handed down the 35-year sentence. Kisekka’s remand time—one year, six months, and 13 days—will be deducted.
He was informed of his right to appeal the sentence within 14 days.
The Road Ahead
Sources close to the case indicate that Kisekka may serve as a key witness against his co-accused, who remain on remand in Luzira and are expected to appear in court on May 20, 2025. They face charges of terrorism and murder.
Chief State Attorney Jacqueline Okui called the conviction a “significant milestone” in the pursuit of justice for Joan Kagezi and her family.
As the legal process continues for the remaining suspects, the sentencing of Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka closes a painful chapter in Uganda’s legal history—offering some solace to a family, and a nation, still grieving a fearless warrior for justice.
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