The Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court has remanded former senior police officer Nixon Agasirwe to Luzira Prison until July 8, 2025, over allegations that he played a direct role in the murder of former state prosecutor Joan Kagezi, who was gunned down on March 30, 2015, in Kiwatule, Kampala.
At the time of her death, Kagezi was prosecuting suspects in the 2010 Al-Shabaab Kampala bombing case, making her a critical figure in Uganda’s fight against terrorism. Her assassination sent shockwaves through the justice and security sectors and has remained unresolved for years until now.
Appearing before Chief Magistrate Esther Nyandoi, Agasirwe did not take plea as the charge of murder is a capital offense, triable only by the High Court. The court session, though brief, was symbolic signaling a renewed determination by the state to pursue justice in a case many feared had gone cold.
Speaking to journalists at the courthouse, a state prosecutor from the ODPP said, “It’s been 10 solid years; we have had another breakthrough. We have arrested and charged one Nixon Agasirwe for the murder of Joan Kagezi. He’s been taken to court today, and the inquiries in this matter are still incomplete.”
The prosecutor emphasized that the development is a product of persistent investigative work over the years and signals that more suspects could be brought to book.
“As the Office of the DPP, we are very happy. It’s been 10 years. We have never given up on this fight to bring the perpetrators who murdered Joan Kagezi to court,” the prosecutor added. “We are still headstrong and committed to ensuring that this case is prosecuted to its conclusion.”
When asked whether investigations were complete, the ODPP clarified that inquiries are still ongoing and more leads are being pursued. “If more information is uncovered, we will not hesitate to bring additional suspects to court.”
Agasirwe, once a prominent figure in the police’s special operations unit, was arrested last week in what officials described as a strategic and evidence-based operation.
The case has reignited public conversation around the safety of state prosecutors, judicial independence, and the long journey to justice for victims of politically or terror-related crimes in Uganda.
The country now watches closely as the legal process unfolds hoping that after a decade of silence, the truth about Joan Kagezi’s murder will finally come to light.