Four suspected killers of the former head of the International Crimes Department in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the late Joan Kagezi, have been remanded.
The suspects, including Kibuuka John, aka Musa Maler, 32, a convict at Kigo Prison; Masajjage John, aka Mubiru Brian, aka Chongo, 50, a prisoner at Kitalya Mini Max Prisons, Mityana District; Kissekka Daniel Kiwanuka, 43, a local resident of Nsanvu village; Kitimbwa town council in Kayunga district; and Nasur Abdalla Mugonole, 39, a convict at Kitalya Prison, appeared before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Elias Kakooza on Monday.
They were remanded until November 20th, when they will reappear before the same court. Kakooza, the presiding magistrate, read the offenses to the accused who were never allowed to take plea.
Irene Nakimbugwe, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, said they hope to have the suspects committed in court soon.
Nakimbugwe said the prosecution, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, has obtained enough evidence to facilitate the trial of the suspects.
According to the charge sheet, the suspects are charged with terrorism, contrary to sections 7(1)(a) and (b) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002, and murder, contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act CAP 120.
The prosecution alleges that the suspects, on March 30th, 2015, at Kiwatule, Nakawa Division, for the purpose of influencing the government or intimidating the public for a political, religious, social, or economic purpose, attacked and murdered Joan Kagezi, the former State Prosecutor.
Children and relatives of the deceased Joan Kagezi, as well as senior DPP officials, were all present in court when the suspects appeared.
According to the charge sheet, the accused are alleged to have committed the murder of Kagezi on March 30th, 2015, at Najjera, a Kampala suburb, while on her way to her residence. She was trailed by gunmen riding motorcycles.
On Sunday, the DPP said the breakthrough in the unresolved murder of Kagezi stemmed from a prosecution-guided investigation that was directed by DPP Abodo in December 2022 and led by the CID, including the Counter Terrorism Squad and the Internal Security Organization, ISO.
At the time of her assassination, Kagezi was prosecuting the trial of 13 men accused of a deadly Al-Shabab suicide bombing in Kampala in 2010, which killed 76 people.
