It’s been ten years since senior state prosecutor Joan Kagezi was shot dead in front of her children—a moment that stunned the country and has haunted Uganda’s justice system ever since. Now, a new chapter is unfolding.
On Monday, Abdu Noor Ssemujju, better known as Minana, was brought to the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court and formally charged with Kagezi’s murder. A former Special Police Constable attached to the disbanded Flying Squad, Minana is the second former officer to face charges this month, joining SSP Nixon Agasiirwe, who was charged just weeks earlier.
The charges against the two are serious. Prosecutors believe they were directly involved in planning and carrying out Kagezi’s killing—a crime thought to be connected to her prosecution of suspected terrorists, including members of the al-Shabaab network.
“With malice aforethought, they caused the death of Joan Namazzi Kagezi,” said Principal State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka in court.
What brought this case back to life after so many years? A new confession from Daniel Kisekka, a man already serving 35 years for conspiracy in the same crime. In his testimony, Kisekka claims both Agasiirwe and Minana were central figures—and that official resources were used to carry out the hit.
But it was Minana’s court appearance, not the paperwork, that gripped the room.
Arriving under tight security in a white police van, he looked nothing like the man feared during his years in the Flying Squad. Thin, weak, and wearing torn clothes, he broke down before even entering the courtroom.
“Please help me! Kayihura! They told me you took me to Kagame! I have never seen Kagame!” he cried out—referring to former police chief Gen. Kale Kayihura and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. His shouts echoed off the walls as onlookers stood frozen.
Inside, the emotional intensity only deepened. Minana collapsed in the dock, telling the magistrate he hadn’t eaten and was in pain. Court officials quickly arranged food, but even after eating, he seemed barely able to respond.
Grade One Magistrate Daphine Ayebare read the charge aloud but explained that the court didn’t have jurisdiction to take a plea. The case was postponed to July 8.
Now both Minana and Agasiirwe are in Luzira Upper Prison, awaiting what comes next. Whether this case finally moves toward justice—or drifts back into the shadows—remains to be seen.
For many, though, this week was more than a legal update. It was a reminder of a question that still lingers: Why was Joan Kagezi killed? And who, really, was behind it?
Her loss is still felt, especially by those who continue to fight against corruption and terrorism in Uganda’s courts. For them, this isn’t just a case—it’s a wound that hasn’t healed.
