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The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has disclosed startling details in the case of Senior Principal State Attorney Joan Kagezi Namazzi’s murder. According to the DPP’s submission to the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court, four suspects allegedly sought the assistance of a witch doctor to evade arrest and manipulate the judicial process following the crime.
This revelation emerged during a summary of evidence presented by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Thomas Jatiko after nearly nine years of investigation. The suspects, identified as Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, John Kibuuka alias Musa, Nasur Abdallah Mugonole, and John Masajjage alias Mubiru Brian or Badru, are accused of involvement in Kagezi’s murder.
Jatiko informed the court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Erias Kakooza, that due to the severity of the charges—murder and terrorism—the case would be transferred to the International Crimes Division of the High Court.
The court heard that shortly after Kagezi’s murder on March 30th, 2015, police conducted investigations, revealing that she died from gunshot wounds. Evidence collected at the scene included bullet cartridges, a pickup truck, and other items submitted for forensic analysis.
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John Kibuuka was arrested shortly after the murder and allegedly confessed to his involvement, implicating Masajjage and others. Masajjage, who lived near Kibuuka, evaded capture for eight years, reportedly changing his identity and residing in remote areas to avoid detection.
Masajjage allegedly disclosed details of the murder plot, including the involvement of firearms obtained from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and financial transactions related to the crime.
Furthermore, Masajjage claimed that a portion of the payment received for the murder was spent on consulting a witch doctor to manipulate the legal proceedings. Investigators subsequently apprehended Masajjage in 2023.
The court also heard testimony implicating Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, who confessed to participating in the murder. Kisekka revealed details of the operation, including firing a shot to facilitate the escape of the perpetrators after the crime.
The suspects reportedly sought further protection from legal consequences by engaging with the witch doctor, a revelation corroborated by the witch doctor’s confession during police interrogation.
Prosecutors emphasized that evidence from phone records, forensic analysis, and witness testimony would be crucial in the trial. They asserted that the motive behind Kagezi’s murder was political, religious, or economic, aiming to intimidate the public or influence the government.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Lino Anguzu underscored the unity of purpose among the suspects and their culpability in the crime. Committal papers have been filed, and the suspects are remanded pending trial in the High Court.
The court proceedings were conducted under tight security, reflecting the gravity of the case and the extensive investigation spanning nearly a decade. The suspects, arrested years after the crime, await trial as the legal process moves forward.
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