Nearly a decade after the assassination of Senior Principal State Attorney Joan Kagezi, Ugandan authorities have formally charged Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nixon Agasirwe in connection with her murder.
The charge, read out at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala on Monday June 16, 2025, represents a major turning point in a case that has haunted the country for years.
Kagezi, a highly respected state prosecutor, was gunned down on March 30, 2015, in Kiwatule, a suburb of Kampala, as she returned home from work.
At the time, she was leading sensitive prosecutions involving terrorism and corruption, including the high-profile trial of suspects in the 2010 Kampala bombings. Her killing shocked the nation and sparked widespread calls for accountability.
Although Agasirwe has officially been charged, the court did not proceed with a plea. As a Chief Magistrate’s Court, it lacks the legal mandate to handle capital offences such as murder, which are reserved for the High Court.
The court session experienced a brief delay due to the absence of Agasirwe’s legal counsel with the presiding magistrate remanding Agasirwe to Luzira Maximum Security Prison and adjourning the matter to July 8, 2025,
Nevertheless, the reading of the charge has stirred public attention and renewed calls for justice from legal professionals and Kagezi’s family, many of whom have long awaited answers.
Agasirwe, once head of Uganda Police’s Special Operations Unit, has been linked to several controversial cases in the past, including unlawful detentions and enforced disappearances. This is, however, the most serious allegation brought against him to date.
The Director of Public Prosecutions is expected to direct the next steps, as security agencies confirm that investigations remain ongoing. The case’s transfer to the High Court will determine how soon a trial could begin.
The decision to prosecute Agasirwe has revived hope for justice in one of Uganda’s most unresolved political crimes, with the public closely watching for a fair and transparent process.
