COURT
The International Crimes Division of the High Court sitting in the capital Kampala has sentenced Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka to 35 years imprisonment for the murder of Senior Principal State Attorney Joan Namazzi Kagezi.
The sentence was handed down by a panel of four judges led by Justice Michael Elubu after Kiwanuka pleaded guilty under a plea bargain agreement.
Kiwanuka , a former Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) soldier, admitted to participating in the planning and killing of Kagezi on March 30, 2015.
Although he was not the gunman, he confessed to coordinating with co-accused, cleaning and distributing the murder weapons, and being part of the surveillance team on the fateful day Kagezi was murdered.
“The amended indictment is hereby allowed on court record,” Justice Elubu ruled after the prosecution formally entered a nolle prosequi, signed by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo, which led to the withdrawal of a terrorism charge against Kiwanuka .
Kiwanuka who once served as a UPDF soldier based in Gulu District before deserting. The court heard that Kiwanuka stole two AK47 guns as he deserted the army.
According to court proceedings, Kiwanuka joined a criminal gang led by John Kibuuka, who orchestrated Kagezi’s murder under alleged promises of up to $200,000. Kiwanuka received only Shs500,000. The gunman, according to court, was Kibuuka, while others played support roles.
Kagezi was shot twice in the neck by the gunman as she drove with her children in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb. She was pronounced dead on arrival at Mulago National Referral Hospital .
In mitigation, state prosecutors led by Mr Thomas Jatiko highlighted the murder’s chilling effect on the justice system, especially since Kagezi was handling sensitive terrorism cases. Victim impact statements from her children revealed deep psychological trauma and orphanhood.
Kiwanuka apologised to the court, government, and Kagezi’s children, but the judges emphasized the gravity of the crime.
“You have a right of appeal only against the sentence within 14 days,” Justice Elubu stated. The period Kiwanuka spent on remand (one year, six months and 13 days ) will be deducted from the sentence.
Trial proceedings continue against the remaining three accused persons (John Kibuuka, Nasur Abdallah Mugonole and John Masajjage), and new legal representatives are to be appointed following the withdrawal of previous defence counsel.
Kagezi was buried on April 2, 2015, and is remembered as a dedicated public servant whose legacy continues to reverberate through Uganda’s justice system.