Kagezi murder: Ex-flying squad operative in exciting court drama

KAMPALA - A dramatic scene today, June 24, 2025, played out when an alleged co-conspirator in the murder of former Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Kagezi appeared at the Nakawa Chief Magistrates' Court in Kampala.

Clad in blue trousers and a short-sleeved pink shirt, Abdul Noor Ssemujju aka Minana, the ex-Flying Squad Unit operative, was supported by four security personnel as he entered the court.

Immediately, he began claiming he had not eaten for four days and was extremely hungry.

(Credit: Miriam Najjingo)

Accordingly, grade one magistrate Daphine Ayebare ordered that his concerns be addressed, and he was given food, which he devoured with heavy sips of tea from a green plastic cup for about 20 minutes.

When the court resumed after 30 minutes, Minana complained that he could not stand and was in severe pain, prompting the magistrate to ask the security personnel to have him sit on a sofa that was in the court.

Visibly irritated chief state attorney Richard Birivumbuka lashed out, saying Minana was being theatrical.

"This man is pretending. When he was in the court cells, he was standing and talking very well, and now here he pretends that he is badly off," he said.

This prompted the magistrate to adjourn the case to 3:00pm for the accused to take a plea on the charge of murder.

Visibly irritated chief state attorney Richard Birivumbuka lashed out, saying Minana was being theatrical. (Credit: Edward Luyimbazi)

Minana invoked the name of former Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura, beseeching him for help.

Minana is facing charges of murder together with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nickson Agasirwe.

Agasirwe appeared before Nakawa court Chief Magistrate Esther Nyadoi, who read for him one count of murder on June 16.

The magistrate, however, did not allow Agasirwe to plead to the charge because her court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the matter, and she immediately remanded him to Luzira Prison until July 8.

The offence of murder elicits a maximum sentence of death upon conviction.

It is alleged that Agasirwe, 54, a resident of Kiyinda Ward in Kira municipality, Wakiso district, Minana and others, still at large on May 30, 2015, at Kiwatule in Nakawa Division with malice aforethought, caused the death of Kagezi.

Agasirwe's arrest came after a convicted former Uganda Peoples Defence Forces soldier, Daniel Kiwanuka Kisekka, told the court that a senior government official named “Nixon” allegedly financed Kagezi’s murder.

When the court resumed after 30 minutes, Minana complained that he could not stand and was in severe pain, prompting the magistrate to ask the security personnel to have him sit on a sofa that was in the court. (Credit: Edward Luyimbazi)

The 43-year-old Kisekka was handed a 35-year prison term by the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala upon his own plea of guilty in the murder of Kagezi.

Kisekka claimed under oath that he was told by one of his colleagues, John Kibuuka alias Musa, that a man identified only as “Nixon” had contracted them to execute Kagezi.

While serving as operatives in the Flying Squad Unit, Minana and Agasirwe were among the eight suspects earlier linked to the brutal assassination of Kagezi.

Kagezi was gunned down on March 30, 2015, in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb, while driving home with her children.