8 high profile unresolved murders

Joan Kagezi (Four years ago). March 30, 2015 will always be a dark day for the staff of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). On that day, the then Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi was assassinated in Najjeera suburb in Kira Town Council, Wakiso, as she returned home. Ms Kagezi had just bought fruits from a roadside food stall.
A number of arrests were made by police but upon scrutiny, all of them were released as there was nothing to link them to the murder.
At the time of the murder, Kagezi prosecuting a high profile case of terror that involved suspects in the 2010 Kampala twin bombing. The majority of the suspects in the terror case have been convicted, but no suspect in Kagezi’s murder has been held to account for her death.
Current status
No suspect has been arrested and charged in court and the investigations appear to have hit a dead end.

Suzan Magara murder (One year ago). Susan Magara was kidnapped on February 7, 2018 on Kabaka Anjagala Road in Mengo as she headed to her home in Lungujja, Rubaga Division, Kampala. She was killed 20 days later and her body dumped in Kigo off the Entebbe Expressway.
Police have completed investigations into the murder and the Director of Public Prosecutions drafted an indictment detailing what evidence will be used at the trial. Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on November 19, 2018 committed the suspects to the High Court for trial, but the hearing has not started yet.

Ibrahim Abiriga (eight months ago). Former Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga was shot dead as he approached his home in Kawanda in Wakiso District in June 2018. To-date no suspect has been charged in court.
The police had initially arrested a young boy from a neighbouring homestead who had dropped a mobile handset at the scene of crime. But later police released him after realising the juvenile had dropped the phone there accidently.

Murder of Donah Katusabe (four years ago). On October 21, 2015, a businesswoman Betty Donah Katusabe was beaten to death at Pine Car Bond in Kampala for allegedly failing to pay a Shs9m car debt.
The proprietor of the car bond Mr Muhammed Ssebuwufu and eight others were arrested and later charged with the murder.
Four years later, the prosecution has since presented witnesses and closed its case. The suspects had also concluded their defence and the case had reached the stage of final submissions.
Mr Ssebuwufu is currently out on bail but some of his co-accused are still on remand in Luzira prison.

Case of Kanyamunyu brothers (three years ago). It is alleged that on November 12, 2016 on Kampala-Jinja Road opposite Malik Car Bond, Mathew Kanyamunyu and brother Joseph Kanyamunyu murdered Kenneth Akena, a children rights activist, by shooting when he accidently knocked their car. The two Kanyamunyu brothers are jointly charged with Cynthia Munwangari, a Burundian national and girlfriend to Mathew.
It is more than two years since they were charged in court. They were later committed to the High Court for trial upon completion of the investigations but the hearing has not taken place. About a month ago the case came up for hearing before Justice Stephen Mubiru but the trial hit a snag after the prosecution informed court that they had not served the defence lawyers all the witness statements to enable them prepare a defence for their clients as had been directed by court.
The suspects are on bail and their bail was extended until then.

Andrew Felix Kaweesi assassination (two years ago). The country woke up to shocking news on March 17, 2017 after assailants riding on a motor cycle shot AIGP Kaweesi, the then Police spokesperson, and his driver Constable Godfrey Wambewa and bodyguard Cpl Kenneth Erau.
About 23 suspects were arrested and charged with the murder before Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Two years later, investigations are still on. Some of the suspects were committed to the High Court for trial. Others have since been released on bail while others are still waiting for the ruling.

Police/Judiciary speak out. However last evening, police spokesperson Fred Enanga said police have tried to conclude investigations into the murder cases expeditiously but the progress depends on the type of evidence picked at the scene of crime.
“It’s hard to get facts on files on a Sunday but generally, the police does not take long to conclude investigating cases. However, the evidence we get at the scene of crime determines on whether we conclude the investigations in time or not. Likewise, the type of crime committed also matters. Some are sophisticated crimes which are committed by hardcore criminals and they rarely leave behind any trace of evidence,” Mr Enanga said.
He added: “In the Abiriga case, we have jointly shared intelligence with our sister security agencies and we have not lost hope. We have facts but they are not conclusive enough to have the file sanctioned by the office of the DPP.”
In a recent interview with the Senior Communications Officer of the Judiciary Mr Solomon Muyita, explained that criminal matters are handled by way of “first in”, “first out basis”.
Mr Muyita further explained that at the moment, the Judiciary is hearing cases of 2016 though he was quick to say that some of the public interest may be considered and heard earlier than expected.
2016. Police completed the investigations and Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court committed the suspects to the High Court for trial.