President Yoweri Museveni is today, April 25, 2024, expected to preside over the 7th memorial lecture of former acting assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Namazzi Kagezi at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

Some of the guests attending the 7th memorial lecture of former acting assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Namazzi Kagezi at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

Born on July 14, 1967, in Rakai district, Kagezi was assassinated on March 30, 2015, at Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb.

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao greeting Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo.

At the time of her murder, Kagezi was the lead prosecutor in the famous 2010 Kampala twin bombings in which over 76 lost their lives.

DPP Jane Frances Abodo (second right) welcoming Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo on arrival at Kololo.

Since 2016, ODPP has been holding an annual memorial lecture in recognition of Kagezi’s contribution to the fight against organised crime in the country.

Four men: Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, John Kibuuka alias Musa, John Massajjage alias Badru alias Chongo and Nasur Abdallah Mugonole have since been charged over her murder in cold blood.

The four were last month committed to the High Court to stand trial over the heinous crime. 

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo says based on the evidence they have collected, they are confident as prosecution that they have the right people.

“Our tears have been wiped at this upcoming 7th Joan Kagezi Memorial Lecture because we have got her murder suspects and they have already been committed for trial. We are waiting for the court to give us the hearing dates to present our evidence and we leave it to the court to decide,” Abodo said during a media briefing last week.

Abodo said while there could be other people who were involved in the murder case, it is good news for them that some of the people suspected to have been involved in the murder have been charged after close to eight years of investigations.

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo with DPP Jane Frances Abodo at Kololo.

“For the people we have now, I can tell you with confidence that all our boxes for the case (ingredients of murder) are ticked. There could be other people but criminal cases never die, we can take it up because nothing stops us from bringing another case. All we want is to see those who did wrong are punished,” Abodo noted.

Abodo said apart from making sure that Kagezi’s memory does not die, the lecture also reminds them as prosecutors every single day that terrorism is real and that there are hazards to their jobs.

President Museveni played a pivotal role in ensuring that Kagezi’s suspected killers are brought to book.

During her sixth memorial lecture at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo in April last year, Museveni directed Director Criminal Investigations Directorate Tom Magambo to deal with Kagezi’s direct killers as he handled the big killers (Allied Democratic Forces combatants) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

DPP Jane Frances Abodo addressing the audience during the 7th memorial lecture of former acting assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Namazzi Kagezi at the Kololo.

The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among with CJ Alfonse Owiny-Dollo at Kololo

The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among (left) , CJ Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Deputy CJ Richard Buteera, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao and DPP Jane Frances Abodo at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among arrives for Joan Kagezi Memorial lecture at Kololo.

Keynote Speaker Sharon Lesa Nyambe, the Head of Office, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Uganda addressing the audience.