KAMPALA, Uganda — Two men, including a senior police officer, have been committed to the High Court to stand trial for the 2015 murder of Joan Kagezi, the former assistant director of public prosecutions.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Wednesday moved to commit Senior Superintendent of Police Nickson Agasiirwe and Abdunoor Ssemujju, also known as Minaana, after informing the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court that investigations are complete.
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The state’s case centers on the assassination of Kagezi, who was shot dead on March 30, 2015, while driving home in Kiwatule. At the time, she was the lead prosecutor in the high-profile 2010 Kampala bombing case.
According to the indictment presented by Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka, Agasiirwe and Minaana were close associates. The state alleges that Agasiirwe, while serving as commandant of the Special Operations Unit, used his position to shield Minaana from various criminal charges and recruited him as a highly paid police informant.
The prosecution plans to rely on previous testimony from Daniel Kisekka, a man already serving a 35-year sentence for his role in the killing. Kisekka testified that a man he identified as Nickson paid him and three others to carry out the assassination for a promised fee of $200,000.
Investigators allege that Agasiirwe provided the firearms, intelligence and funding for the hit. The state further contends that Agasiirwe’s behavior following the murder was suspicious, alleging he took over the investigation, seized Kagezi’s laptop and files, and recovered her missing phone.
The indictment also reveals that a day before her death, Kagezi expressed fear during an official meeting, stating she believed Agasiirwe and others intended to kill her. Prosecutors noted that Kagezi had previously sanctioned charges against both Agasiirwe and Minaana.
Both defendants have been remanded to Luzira Prison pending their trial at the next High Court session. The state indicated it is ready to present what it describes as a case built on circumstantial evidence.
