Is justice for Joan Kagezi finally in sight?

CRIME | SUSPENSE | INTRIGUE

KAMPALA - Almost a decade after the brutal assassination of senior state prosecutor Joan Kagezi, a significant breakthrough has been made in the case. 

The International Crimes Division of the High Court has confirmed murder and terrorism charges against four suspects, marking a critical step towards justice for the slain assistant director of public prosecutions (DPP). 

On March 30, 2015, Kagezi was gunned down in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb, in a well-coordinated attack by assailants on motorcycles. 

She had stopped by the roadside to buy fruits when the killers struck, firing two fatal shots into her neck and shoulder. 

Her murder sent shockwaves through the country, raising concerns about the safety of judicial officers handling high-profile cases, particularly those related to terrorism. 

Nearly four years after President Yoweri Museveni directed CID boss Tom Magambo to find Kagezi’s killers, the court on Monday (March 24, 2025) ruled that sufficient evidence links the four accused men — Daniel Kisekka, 43, John Kibuuka alias Musa, 32, John Masajjage alias Brian Mubiru alias Badru alias Chongo, 50, and Nasur Abdallah Mugonole, 39 — to the crime. 

Following the arrests, Museveni acknowledged the significant breakthrough, emphasising that, until then, Kagezi’s killers had remained at large since her murder in 2015. 

He commended the Intelligence Security Organisation and the Criminal Investigation Department for their diligent efforts, expressing confidence that the suspects would soon face justice. 

The ruling on the charges has reignited public debate on whether justice for Kagezi is finally within reach.

Investigation 

For years, security agencies struggled to crack the case. Leads went cold and speculation swirled around who had ordered the assassination. However, in November 2023, Museveni announced that investigators had finally made a breakthrough, leading to the arrest of the four key suspects. 

These men were initially charged with murder and terrorism on November 7, 2023, before being remanded to Luzira Prison. 

The latest court ruling means they will now face trial on the confirmed charges, which, if convicted, could carry the death penalty.

Joan Kagezi

The ruling 

On Monday (March 24, 2025), the International Crimes Division of the High Court confirmed charges of murder and terrorism against the suspects.

Justice Alice Khaukha Komuhangi ruled that the prosecution has adduced sufficient evidence, warranting the four accused persons; Kisekka, Kibuuka, Massajjage and Mugonole to stand trial before a judge.

“Having considered all the evidence disclosed by the prosecution, I find that there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that each of the accused committed the crimes they are charged with,” Komuhangi ruled. 

Accordingly, the judge forwarded the accused persons for trial on the confirmed charges and directed the prosecution to amend the indictment to reflect the correct chapters and sections of the law as per the revised edition. 

The offences of terrorism and murder attract maximum sentences of death upon conviction.

Kagezi was shot dead at about 7:15pm on March 30, 2015. 

The autopsy report indicated that she was shot twice in the neck and shoulder, through the window on the driver’s seat.

Telephone evidence 

The court heard that the telephone clusters for mobile networks of all active MTN and Airtel mobile telephone numbers within the vicinity of the crime scene shortly before and at the time of Kagezi’s murder showed that the mobile phones allegedly belonging to Kibuuka and Masajjage were located within Kiwatule. 

The judge found that the disclosed evidence connects all the accused persons to the planning, organisation and execution of Kagezi’s murder. 

“They are also culpable under the doctrine of common intention under Section 20 of the Penal Code Act,” she ruled. 

Komuhangi said the attack involved four individuals, each with a rider and a passenger armed with a gun, which was used to fire the fatal shots. 

The court heard that when the Police arrested Kiwanuka in Luwero over theft, it was discovered while in custody that he was wanted in connection to Kagezi’s murder and he was transferred to Kampala for interrogation. 

Subsequently, Kiwanuka confessed to having participated in the murder of Kagezi together with his co-accused. Kiwanuka informed investigators that he and Mugonole formed the backup team for Kibuuka and Masajjage, tasked with clearing the escape route after Kagezi’s murder. 

He further revealed that he, along with Kibuuka and Mugonole, visited a sorcerer (name withheld) in Kayunga to perform rituals to protect them from being arrested for the crime. According to the prosecution, the sorcerer identified by Kiwanuka was traced and found to be on remand in Luzira Prison on allegations of defilement. 

When interviewed regarding Kiwanuka’s allegations, the sorcerer confirmed that he had performed rituals on Kiwanuka, Kibuuka, and Mugonole immediately after Kagezi’s murder and that the three accused left his shrine after paying for his services. 

The court heard that an identification parade was conducted at the Police station, during which the sorcerer identified Kiwanuka, Kibuuka and Mugonole. During the hearing of the case, Thomas Jatiko, the assistant DPP, represented the state, while the accused were represented by defence lawyers Henry Kunya and Elizabeth Nampola.

Suspects were Ludo champions in Kyebando-Kisalosalo

One of the most unexpected revelations in the investigation was the suspects’ background. 

Three years before Kagezi’s murder, the accused were known as board game (Ludo) champions in Kyebando-Kisalosalo. 

In 2012, they won a local Ludo tournament held in Mulimira Zone. Former teammates who spoke to The Weekend Vision on condition of anonymity described them as friendly and playful, but with one peculiar habit — they never played beyond 5:00pm. 

“They routinely identified themselves as builders. While playing Ludo, their conversations always revolved around construction. Sometimes, they even carried trowels with them,” a former teammate said. Another former player recalled that Kisekka and Kibuuka always played as a pair, staking money and winning cash. 

“They were very close, and we were shocked to see their pictures in the newspapers, handcuffed and linked to such a serious crime,” he said. 

Mugonole, the other suspect, rarely played but frequently watched the games, seemingly keeping tabs on his colleagues. 

“Their ability to blend into the community and maintain an innocent façade as construction workers and game players provided them with the perfect cover to execute a high-profile assassination without raising suspicion,” a former teammate said. 

Details emerging from the investigation paint a picture of a meticulously planned assassination motivated by a hefty bounty of $200,000 (about shs752.7m). 

According to sources familiar with the probe, the plot to eliminate Kagezi was months in the making. 

The masterminds behind the hit reportedly held meetings at a residence in Kanyanya, Kawempe Division, Kampala. 

In these meetings, they negotiated a down payment of $100,000 before proceeding with the execution. 

By March, the killers had already mapped out Kagezi’s daily routine. They trailed her for over four months, studying her movements and identifying potential exit routes.