FAMReports News Desk | December 2025
Former senior police officer Nickson Agasiirwe Karuhanga allegedly concealed the murder weapon used in the killing of former assistant director of public prosecutions Joan Namazzi Kagezi nearly a decade ago, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has told court.
Agasiirwe, who held the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police, and his co accused Abdu Noor Ssemujju, commonly known as Minaana, have now been committed to the High Court for trial. The decision was made by the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court after prosecutors confirmed that investigations into the matter have been completed.
The committal followed the presentation of committal papers by Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka. He informed court that the indictment had been sanctioned by the Director of Public Prosecutions on December 15, 2025 and that the state was ready to proceed with the case relying largely on circumstantial evidence.
According to the prosecution, Agasiirwe initially joined the Uganda Police Force as an informant before being formally regularised as a special police constable attached to the former Rapid Response Unit in Kireka. His career progression was rapid, and by 2015 he had risen to the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police.
At the time of the murder, Agasiirwe was commanding the Special Operations Unit, a highly sensitive police outfit that reported directly to the Inspector General of Police. The unit comprised both regular officers and covert operatives and handled high risk security assignments.
Prosecutors allege that while heading the unit, Agasiirwe recruited Minaana as a police informant despite being fully aware of his extensive criminal background. Court records indicate that Minaana had previously been arrested and remanded at Kireka on serious charges including murder, armed robbery and motor vehicle theft.
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The prosecution further told court that Minaana had been linked to several violent crimes across the country. These included the attack on Naggalama Police Station in Mukono District, during which officers were shot dead and firearms stolen, the hijacking of a fuel tanker in Bweyogerere, and an armed robbery at Arua Park that resulted in the death of a female hawker.
Despite these allegations and repeated arrests, prosecutors contend that Agasiirwe actively shielded Minaana from prosecution. It is alleged that he facilitated his release from custody on several occasions and later introduced him to the then Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, presenting him as a valuable security operative.
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Following this introduction, Minaana was allegedly placed on the police payroll, assigned armed protection and deployed as an informant. The prosecution argues that this relationship enabled Minaana to continue operating with impunity while enjoying protection from within the security apparatus.
The state further alleges that Agasiirwe concealed the firearm used in the assassination of Joan Kagezi, a senior prosecutor who was gunned down in 2015 while on her way home in Kiwatule, Kampala. Her murder shocked the nation and raised serious concerns about the safety of judicial officers handling sensitive cases.
The High Court trial is expected to revisit critical questions about accountability within security agencies and the abuse of authority by senior officers. The case remains one of Uganda’s most closely watched criminal proceedings due to the profile of the victim and the far reaching implications for the justice system.
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