Earlier this week, the High Court in Kampala adjourned proceedings in the case against four suspects accused of the 2015 murder of former senior principal state attorney, Joan Kagezi.
The adjournment came after two defence lawyers withdrew from the case, citing conflicts of interest.
The suspects—Daniel Kisekka Kiwanuka, John Kibuuka (alias Musa), Nasur Abdallah Mugonole, and John Masajjage (alias Mubiru Brian or Chongo)—are facing charges related to the brutal murder of Kagezi.
Kiwanuka, a peasant farmer from Kayunga District, and Kibuuka, an inmate at Kigo Prison, along with Mugonole and Masajjage, both held at Kitalya Mini Max Prison, were implicated in the crime.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lino Anguzu, informed the court that defense lawyers Sylvia Namawejje and Ali Hassan Kato had withdrawn from representing the suspects, citing a conflict of interest. This development has delayed the case, with Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha ordering the Deputy Registrar of the International Crimes Court to appoint new lawyers for the accused.
The prosecution claims the suspects are linked to Kagezi’s murder, and alleges that they engaged in ritualistic practices to evade capture. Kibuuka, arrested shortly after the murder in 2015, reportedly provided information leading to the arrest of Masajjage, who had been on the run for eight years. The DPP suggests that the murder was politically motivated, aimed at intimidating both the government and the public.
Amid tight security, the suspects remain remanded as the case continues. The DPP has announced plans to apply for witness protection measures ahead of the next hearing on December 9, 2024.
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