![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.ug\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Late-Kagezi.jpg\")
Kagezi\u2019s children, along with an aunt and uncle, were present in court. The judges, led by Elubu, explained the implications of a plea bargain to Kisekka, including waiving his right to the presumption of innocence, the right to remain silent, the right against self-incrimination, and the right to a full trial. Kisekka confirmed he understood and waived those rights willingly and with his lawyers\u2019 consent, stating he was not coerced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Murder charges were then formally read to him, and he pleaded guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Assistant DPP Jatiko presented the facts of the case, which Kisekka\u2014dressed in a yellow Uganda Cranes jersey and black jeans\u2014accepted as true. Jatiko stated that Kisekka was a UPDF officer stationed in Gulu who later deserted and stole five AK-47 rifles. With assistance from John Kibuka, he brought the weapons to Kampala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Court heard that in Nabweru, Kisekka met with other accused persons\u2014Abdullah Nasulu Mugonole, John Kibuka, and John Masajjage alias Brian\u2014residents of Kyebando in Kanyanya, and they began living together. The group embarked on armed robberies using the stolen guns. One weapon was lost during a foiled robbery in Kiboga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2008, Kisekka and his co-accused were arrested during the infamous Operation Wembley, aimed at curbing rampant robbery in the country. Police recovered a second gun and four magazines. The group was later arraigned before the General Court Martial and remanded. However, while detained at Makindye Military Barracks, Kisekka escaped and fled to Kayunga District, where he began a charcoal business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In February 2015, Kibuka visited Kisekka in Galilaya Village, Kayunga, and suggested killing Joan Kagezi, who he wrongly claimed was a judge. The court heard that Kisekka eventually accepted the murder-for-hire proposal for a fee. He later traveled to Kampala and met under a mango tree in Kyebando with the co-accused, who remain on remand in Luzira Prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kibuka reportedly briefed them that the killing would earn them $200,000 but initially gave them Shs2 million to split equally. According to Jatiko, the sponsor of the murder was not disclosed but was described as a \u201chigh-profile person.\u201d The motive was allegedly Kagezi\u2019s involvement in prosecuting Muslim-related cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kibuka was to supply the weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On March 30th, 2015\u2014the day of the murder\u2014Kisekka cleaned the guns and hid them in a sack. The group met again in Kyebando for final instructions. Each received Shs500,000. Kisekka handed a gun to Kibuka. Masajjage rode the motorcycle while Kibuka was the passenger. Mugonole and Kisekka used another motorcycle, with Mugonole riding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two teams hid behind a church near the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Temple as Kibuka issued instructions by phone. Court heard that Kagezi was driving a Ford Double Cabin (UG 0546J) with her three children around 7 p.m. when she parked by the roadside in Ntinda on her way home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Masajjage and Kibuka, who were trailing her, stopped nearby. Kibuka got off the boda boda and shot Kagezi twice in the neck using a gun hidden in his back. She bled profusely. Kibuka fled toward Najjera. Kisekka fired in the air to scare onlookers and also fled in the same direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good Samaritans rushed Kagezi to Mulago Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. A postmortem revealed she had died of gunshot wounds. She was buried on April 2, 2015, in Bukasa Buloba, Wakiso District. Following the murder, police visited the crime scene and launched investigations. Court also heard that the group reconvened at their Nabweru hideout to discuss payment. Kibuka promised to pay them once the money arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later, Kisekka led the group to a witch doctor, Joseph Olowo, in Kayunga, to perform rituals to \u201csilence\u201d the case and prevent Kagezi\u2019s spirit from haunting them. The ritual cost Shs200,000. Mugonole and Masajjage returned to Kampala, but Kisekka stayed in hiding for eight years. Investigations yielded little until August 2023, when police received credible information pointing to the four suspects. Masajjage was arrested in Wandegeya, where he operated a boda boda business. He denied terrorism charges. Kibuka and Mugonole had earlier been arrested and were serving sentences for aggravated robbery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kisekka was arrested in October 2023 in Luwero on theft charges. While in custody, it was discovered he was wanted for Kagezi\u2019s murder. He later confessed. Justice Elubu asked Kisekka to confirm the facts, and he did. The judges\u2014Elubu, Steven Mubiru, Dr. Winifred Nabisinde, and Celia Nagawa\u2014subsequently convicted him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During sentencing, Jatiko described the murder as premeditated, meticulously executed, and committed using stolen firearms. He said the motive was financial, citing the Shs500,000 paid and the promised $200,000. \u201cThe offense was committed in a public place in the presence of Kagezi\u2019s three biological children. The trauma is unimaginable\u2026 it will live with them forever,\u201d Jatiko told court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that the accused cleaned and oiled the guns, showing intent, and worsened matters by seeking supernatural protection through rituals. Jatiko noted that Kagezi was a single mother of four, and her death left them orphaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs an Assistant DPP when Kagezi died, I can say the murder had a chilling effect on law and order\u2026 government property was damaged, and resources were spent on this case,\u201d he said. He called for deterrent punishment, noting that similar attacks on public officials are increasing. Though murder attracts a death sentence, Jatiko recommended 35 years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defense lawyer Henry Kunya said Kisekka had not wasted court time, had no criminal record despite previous remand, and was the sixth of 22 siblings, with three wives and children dependent on him. Kisekka has been in custody since November 6, 2023\u2014one year, six months, and 13 days\u2014confirmed by prison officer Corporal Fredson Nkwasibwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before sentencing, the judges asked Kisekka if he had anything to say. He apologized: \u201cI apologize to the government, the children of the deceased Kagezi, His Excellency the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the public to forgive me for my criminal actions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kagezi\u2019s children, George Phillip Kulubya and his sister Carole, presented a victim impact statement, expressing that although their mother will never return, they believe in justice. Counseling psychiatrist Susan Tashobya drafted the victim impact report, which was read in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the judges rejected a separate victim impact report from the DPP\u2019s office, where Kagezi had worked. \u201cThis is a case where even the deceased was a prosecutor. It wouldn\u2019t be fair or in the interest of justice where prosecutors are aggrieved and are also the ones prosecuting. This is a unique case. So we are not taking the DPP\u2019s impact assessment report. We are taking for the victims only, in the interest of justice,\u201d said Elubu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On behalf of the panel, Justice Elubu pronounced the 35-year sentence and confirmed that the time Kisekka had spent on remand would be deducted. \u201cYou have a right of appeal only against the sentence from today within 14 days. That\u2019s the order of the court,\u201d said Elubu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources indicate that Kisekka may be used as a prosecution witness against his co-accused, who remain on remand in different prisons, including Luzira, and are scheduled to return to court tomorrow, May 20th, 2025. Chief State Attorney Jacqueline Okui described the conviction as a significant milestone in the quest for justice for their colleague Kagezi, her children, and her family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The remaining accused face charges of terrorism and murder. The motive behind Kagezi\u2019s killing is believed to be her influence in prosecuting sensitive government and religious-related cases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has sentenced Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, a deserter from the UPDF,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14463,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kisekka-murderer-of-Joan-Kagezi.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10421,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/joan-kagezi-murder-case-four-men-charged-remanded-to-luzira-maximum-prison\/","url_meta":{"origin":14462,"position":0},"title":"Joan Kagezi Murder Case: Four Men Charged , Remanded to Luzira Maximum Prison","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"November 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Four suspects Daniel Kisseka Kiwanuka, John Kibuuka , Nasur Abdallah Mugonole, and John Musajagge who were nabbed last week for alleged murder of Joan Kagezi have been produced in court and charged with terrorism and murder. They appeared before Chief Magistrate Elias Kakooza at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate\u2019s Court. 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Kagezi was shot dead in cold blood at Kiwatule while returning home from work in company of her children seven years ago. Speaking at Joan Kagezi\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/m7-2.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/m7-2.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/m7-2.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/m7-2.jpg 2x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/m7-2.jpg 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2217,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/kanyamunyu-pleads-guilty-to-manslaughter-sentenced-to-a-5-year-jail-time-girl-friend-cynthia-munwangari-let-off-the-hook\/","url_meta":{"origin":14462,"position":2},"title":"KANYAMUNYU PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER SENTENCED TO A 5 YEAR JAIL TIME , GIRL FRIEND CYNTHIA MUNWANGARI LET OFF THE HOOK","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"November 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Kampala businessman , Mathew Kanyamunyu has finally pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter and accordingly sentenced to a five year jail term by \u00a0High Court Judge,\u00a0 Stephen Mubiru. The sentence was handed over after \u00a0Kanyamunyu \u00a0in a plea -bargain accepted responsibility for the murder \u00a0Kenneth Akena, a social worker.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Breaking News"","block_context":{"text":"Breaking News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/breaking-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10401,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/joan-kagezi-s-killers-captured-museveni\/","url_meta":{"origin":14462,"position":3},"title":"Joan Kagezi ‘s Killers Captured -Museveni","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"November 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"President Yoweri Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces has this afternoon announced that the thugs responsible for the cold murder of Assistant Director Of Public Prosecution Joan Kagezi at a market in Bweyogerere on March 15,2015 have finally been arrested . \"The suspects in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Security"","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/kagazi.jpg","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10259,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/nagirinya-murder-family-finally-gets-justice-as-two-are-handed-sentence-for-life-in-prison\/","url_meta":{"origin":14462,"position":4},"title":"Nagirinya Murder Family Finally Gets Justice As Two Are Handed Sentence For Life In Prison","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"October 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Three Others To Serve 30yrs Each The family of the late Maria Nagirinya has at long last got justice when the High Court in Kampala handed down a life sentence in prison for two of her murderers Copriyam Kasolo and Johnson Lubega alias Manomano. 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MATHEW KIRABO CONVICTED MURDER OF DESIRE MIREMBE IN ABSENTIA\ufffc","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"June 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The High Court at Mukono has convicted Dr. Mathew Kirabo of the murder of one Desire Mirembe, his girlfriend in absentia. 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