Kagezi was shot by unknown gunmen in March 2015 in Kiwatule, as she drove home.
Today Monday 06th Nov, four men including Kibuuka John, Masajjage John, Kisekka Dan and Nasur Abdalla were arraigned before the Chief Magistrates Court in Nakawa.
Terrorism and murder charges were read to them.
The state alleges that the quartet on March 30, 2015, at Kiwatule, Nakawa division in Kampala to influence the government or intimidate the public or a section of the public and for political, religious, social or economic aims, indiscriminately without due regard to the safety of others or property, directly involved themselves or were complicit in the attack and murder of the assistant director of Public Prosecutions Joan Kagezi.
The state also accuses the four of murder contrary to sections 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act for shooting dead Kagezi with malice aforethought in 2015.
Chief Magistrate Erias Kakooza didn’t allow them to take a plea since the charges against them were capital in nature and only triable by the High Court.
The quartet was remanded to prison until November, 20, when they will return for mention of their case.
The state was represented by Thomas Jatiko, an assistant DPP and Lilian Omara, a chief state attorney.
Accused
On Monday, the court was told that two of the accused including John Kibuuka and Nasur Abdallah Mugonole are currently serving sentences on different charges at Kigo and Kityala Mini Maxi prisons.
This website has separately learnt that they were charged with aggravated robbery.
On the other side, John Masajagge is on remand at Kitalya, on a separate charge whereas Kisekka Daniel Kiwanuka was arrested recently and was brought by police on Monday.
Court
As early as 8 a.m., the suspects had already been brought to court amidst tight security by both counter-terrorism police and Prisons.
Inside the court, in a show of solidarity, over 40 prosecutors attended the proceedings.
Among those who attended were former deputy DPP, Amos Ngolobe and Immaculate Angutoko, the president of the Uganda Association of Prosecutors.
Also, Kagezi’s relatives were present in court.
Speaking to journalists outside court, Irene Nakimbugwe, the deputy spokesperson for the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said they are happy the suspects are finally apprehended, adding that they are also ready to prosecute them.
Background
The four are the first people to be charged with the murder of the state prosecutor who was handling the Lugogo 2010 twin blasts case.
It is now eight years since the gruesome murder.
President Museveni in 2018 linked Kagezi’s murder to the Allied Democratic Forces.
He would later say that the main suspect in the murder plot of the state prosecutor was hiding in one of the countries in Europe.
He asked the DPP to go after the suspect.
However, in response, DPP Jane Frances Abodo said the suspected killer had not been returned home to stand trial since there was a need to have a treaty with the said country alleged to be harbouring Kagezi’s killers.
Abodo said that the European country in question disagrees with death penalties which are in the laws of Uganda, adding that this exacerbated the extradition of the suspect to stand trial back home.
