A former soldier in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the 2015 assassination of Senior Principal State Attorney Joan Namazzi Kagezi, a high-profile prosecutor known for handling terrorism cases.
Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, who admitted his involvement in the plot, was sentenced by a panel of four judges at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala, led by Justice Michael Elubu. The ruling followed a plea bargain agreement in which Kisekka pleaded guilty to the murder, though he was not the gunman.
The court heard that Kisekka, who had deserted the army after serving in Gulu District, stole two AK-47 rifles and later joined a criminal gang allegedly led by John Kibuuka. The prosecution said the gang planned the killing under the promise of a financial reward of up to $200,000. In the end, Kisekka reportedly received just 500,000 Ugandan shillings—around $136.
Justice Elubu noted that while Kisekka did not fire the fatal shots, his role in the crime was integral. He admitted to organising logistics, cleaning and distributing the weapons, and conducting surveillance on the day Kagezi was gunned down.
“The amended indictment is hereby allowed on court record,” the judge ruled, after the prosecution dropped a related terrorism charge against Kisekka under a nolle prosequi signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo.
Joan Kagezi was shot twice in the neck as she drove through the Kampala suburb of Ntinda with her children on 30 March 2015. She was rushed to Mulago Hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival. Her killing sent shockwaves through Uganda’s legal community, with many citing the chilling effect it had on the prosecution of terrorism-related cases.
In court, victim impact statements from Kagezi’s children described deep psychological trauma and the lasting effects of losing their mother. State prosecutors argued the assassination was not only a personal tragedy, but a blow to the rule of law.
Kisekka apologised in court, expressing remorse to the state and Kagezi’s family. However, the judges emphasised the gravity of the crime and its implications for public trust in the justice system.
“You have a right of appeal only against the sentence within 14 days,” Justice Elubu said, adding that the 18 months Kisekka had already spent in custody would be deducted from the sentence.
Legal proceedings continue for the three remaining suspects—John Kibuuka, Nasur Abdallah Mugonole and John Masajjage—after the court allowed the withdrawal of their current defence counsel and the appointment of new legal representatives.
Joan Kagezi was laid to rest on 2 April 2015. Nearly a decade later, her name remains a symbol of courage and integrity in the face of rising threats to the judiciary.
