Daniel Kisseka Kiwanuka, who was this morning convicted of own guilty plea in the Joan Kagezi murder trial, has been sentenced to 35 years in jail.
has been convicted for the 2015 assassination of former Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Joan Namazzi Kagezi.
Kisseka, a former UPDF soldier, pleaded guilty to the 2015 murder of then Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Kagezi under a plea bargain agreement with the State.
"You have a right of appeal only on the severity of the case in the next 14 days," said one of the judges on the panel of four justices at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala on Monday.
The high-stakes nature of the crime and related trial meant the identities of the judges hearing the case has been kept away from the media.
Earlier, the prosecution had described the murder as “aggravated,” citing its brutal nature, the long period of planning, and the psychological damage inflicted on the victim's children.
They further emphasized the national implications of the crime.
"Joan Kagezi was a respected state prosecutor entrusted with high-stakes terrorism cases. Her death not only left a void in her family—where she was the sole breadwinner—but also severely impacted the justice system and national security apparatus," the prosecution told court.
They asked for a 35-year prison sentence, pointing to the gravity of the crime and its lasting consequences.
The Plot to Kill a Prosecutor
According to the prosecution, Kisseka was part of a four-man team that orchestrated the premeditated killing of Kagezi on March 30, 2015, in Kiwatule, Kampala.
The killers—identified as Kibuuka John alias Musa, Masagajje John alias Mubiru Brian, Nasur Abudalah Mugonole, and Kisseka—allegedly acted on behalf of an unnamed high-profile individual, angered by Kagezi’s role in prosecuting terrorism and corruption cases.
Court records revealed that Kisseka deserted the army in 2006, taking with him stolen weapons.
He was recruited into the murder plot by Kibuuka, who promised him part of a $200,000 bounty. Kisseka reportedly received Shs500,000 as a down payment.
On the day of the murder, Kisseka and Nasur provided backup as Kibuuka fired two bullets through the window of Kagezi’s vehicle, striking her in the neck.
She was pronounced dead at Mulago Hospital. Tragically, her children were in the car and witnessed the killing.
Plea for Leniency
Meanwhile, the defence had prayed to the court for leniency. They argued that Kisseka, though complicit, did not fire the fatal shots and had since cooperated with authorities, offering key information in the ongoing investigations.
“He is a first-time offender, a young man with potential for reform, and a father of nine children from three wives. His conviction is punishment enough, and he should be allowed a chance at rehabilitation,” the defence argued.
Under Ugandan law, murder carries a maximum sentence of death, though this is rarely imposed.
Kisekka, the court said, will spend 35 years which comes down to 33 and a half taking into consideration the time spent on remand.
His conviction brings partial closure to a case that has lingered in the national psyche and marks a moment of justice for a woman whose legacy continues to resonate in Uganda’s legal circles.