NATIONAL NEWS , Wednesday, April 1 2015 5 Terrorism ADF-linked mercenaries suspects’ suspected in Kagezi’s death trial halted By Andante Okanya By Simon Masaba The trial of the 13 terror suspects of Police is investigating the possibility the July 2010 twin bombings that Joan Kagezi, the assistant Director has been halted, following the of Public Prosecutions, could have assassination of the lead prosecutor, been shot dead by mercenaries. assistant Director of Public Kagezi was shot twice on Monday Prosecutions, Joan Kagezi. evening at about 7:45pm by armed Yesterday, the trial had been men riding on a motorcycle in scheduled to proceed at the Main Kiwatule as she returned home from High Court building in Kampala. work. Speaking at the court premises, She was just minutes away from the Judiciary spokesperson, Erias her residence. Two spent cartridges Kisawuzi, explained that under the were recovered from the crime scene. circumstances, the case could not Forensics experts were by last evening proceed. “With what has happened, running checks on them. the case can definitely not proceed. It The Inspector General of Police, will be given another date, but at the Gen. , addressing a moment, it is impossible to ascertain press briefing at the murder scene when that will be,” Kisawuzi said. yesterday, said Police was following The defence lawyers were supposed several leads that could lead to the to cross-examine the first prosecution arrest of the suspects. witness, Mahmoud Mugisha. Among other things, Kayihura said, Internal affairs minister Aronda Nyakairima, that for justice and security Mary Karooro Kagezi’s assistant in the case, senior the Police was also not ruling out Okurut during a discussion on the death of Kagezi at Parliament yesterday. Photo by Maria Wamala principal state attorney Lino Anguzu, leads that the killers could be hitmen was crestfallen, but praised his fallen linked to the Allied Democratic Front bleeding profusely.” Intelligence and Investigations people perished. colleague as a superb prosecutor. (ADF) rebels. The Director of Public Prosecution Directorate, Grace Akullo and some When the court resumed, Anguzu “This is organised crime by (DPP), Justice Mike Chibita, visited Judiciary officials were among the Al-Shabaab links and the defence lawyers retreated a criminal gang with an ADF the crime scene yesterday, along many government officials at Kagezi’s The Police are also investigating to the chambers of the trial judge, background,” Kayihura said. with experts from the forensics home. whether the killing was carried out Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, for a closed- Security sources suspect that Kagezi department, who reconstructed the Security sources revealed that a team by Somalia’s terror group al-Shabaab. door meeting with the judge. could have been killed for playing scene of murder. of experts were making headway in Patrick Onyango, a Police The defence lawyers are Caleb a central role in the trial of the July Chibita vowed that the trial of terror reconstructing the face of the killers, spokesman, was quoted as saying Alaka, Yunus Kasirivu, Julius 2010 terror suspects. suspects would continue, despite based on eyewitness accounts. that there are many possible suspects, Galisonga, Francis Onyango, Evans She appeared in court last Thursday Kagezi’s gruesome murder. He said The rider of the motorcycle used in including the al-Shabaab, but it was Ochieng and Annette Badda. and asked for an adjournment of the her death was “an open war on the the crime was reportedly donning a too soon to make any arrests. hearing at the High Court in Kampala Judiciary, one which would be fought hood, but the hitman was reportedly “We cannot rule out al-Shabaab ... to yesterday. for the betterment of society.” identified by a by-stander. because that is the major case that BETWEEN THE LINES: Najjera, an upbeat popular hangout Sources also revealed that a Police she was handling,” he said. Witnesses speak out on the outskirts of Kampala, where team was revisiting the high-profile Last week, the US Embassy warned n The Judiciary spokesperson, Eyewitness accounts indicate that the Kagezi lived, was engulfed in a cases that Kagezi handled to ascertain that there was a terrorist threat Erias Kisawuzi, said the case assailants trailed Kagezi and shot her somber mood and security was tight. whether people linked to the cases against locations in Kampala, where will be given another date, but when she stopped to buy fruits. She A Police officer who talked to New could have had a hand in her death. foreigners often congregate. it was impossible to ascertain was shot shortly after entering her car Vision, on condition of anonymity, Kagezi has handled a number of has contributed when that would be. number UG0586J. said they were only allowing in family cases, including those relating to troops toward an African Union An eyewitness said: “The gunshots members and government officials international crimes. She has been peacekeeping mission in Somalia, the After the meeting, the defence sounded like a car tyre that had burst. into Kagezi’s residence. the lead prosecutor in the trial of reason the al-Shabaab terrorists gave lawyers were tight-lipped on the I could see Kagezi struggling for her Internal affairs minister Gen. Aronda suspects for the July 2010 terror for carrying out the 2010 attacks in nature of their interaction with the life as she held her neck which was Nyakairima, the Director of Criminal attacks in Kampala in which 76 Kampala. judge. However, Kasirivu said they requested the judge for security for all the legal personalities in the case. “We requested the judge for Kagezi had received death threats, says Police officer security. He told us to compile our physical addresses to be submitted to the Police for security,” Kasirivu said. By Vision Reporters “She was a down-to-earth woman. Prosecutors’ protection He described Kagezi as a good- She never moved with guards. She never moved Meeting with legislators on the natured person, never vindictive and The assistant Director of Public Whenever she met us, she would human rights committee yesterday, superb in execution of her duties. Prosecutions, Joan Kigezi, 47, who smile and wave,” the neighbour with guards. justice minister Kahinda Otafiire In a separate interview, the Chief was killed by hitmen on Monday, explained. said Government will offer protection Registrar of the Courts of Judicature, had previously received death Emmanuel Ekom, a guard at the to prosecutors handling terrorism- Paul Gadenya, described Kagezi threats, New Vision has learnt. neighbouring residence, said Kagezi Whenever she met us, related and other high profile cases. as “very thorough in her work and Kigezi was gunned down on had promised him a job. Otafiire, who was responding patient”. Monday evening near her residence “Two weeks ago, she stopped and to concerns by the committee He, however, noted that the in Kiwatule, a city suburb, as she we talked and she promised me a she would smile and chairperson, Jovah Kamateka, about assassination should act as a wake-up drove home with three of her job at her home. I was going to work Kagezi’s murder, regretted what he call to fast-track the reforms on the children. as a shamba boy. I was excited about wave.” Neighbours described as “a tragic oversight”. personal security of judicial officers A Police officer who has closely the job,” he said. “I have spoken with the Director handling high-risk matters. worked with Kagezi said she had of Public Prosecutions (DPP) about “For every case, we shall have to received death threats, the reason Government tasked to explain the matter and we are going to put do a risk analysis. Even the current she was given a guard at her home. In Parliament yesterday, MPs Army joins hunt for killers in place mechanisms to protect arrangement of personal security for “I have been working with her. She demanded that Government The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. prosecutors,” Otafiire said. judges, is not enough,” Gadenya said. had received threats,” the officer said explains circumstances surrounding Katumba Wamala, yesterday said Otafiire cautioned against jumping The July 2010 terror attack suspects on condition of anonymity. Kagezi’s murder. he had directed Maj. Gen. David to conclusions about the identity of include Hussein Agad, Idris Magondu, But he explained that due to her In his communication to the House, Muhoozi, the Commander of Land the assailants, saying the Police are Isa Luyima, Hassan Haruna Luyima, humble character, Kagezi did not ask Jacob Oulanyah, the Deputy Speaker Forces, to join investigations into the analysing all possible clues. Abubakari Batematyo and Yahya for a personal guard. of Parliament, said: “Kagezi’s death is murder. Shadow Attorney General Abdu Suleiman Mbuthia. One of Kagezi’s neighbours, who a matter of concern to all of us.” “People with evil hearts gunned Katuntu said: “It’s a tragedy that a Others are Habib Suleiman Njoroge, did not want to be identified, told “The death of Kagezi is not a one- down one of the dedicated servants prosecutor of Kagezi’s calibre could Omar Awadh Omar, Mohammad New Vision that for almost a month, off. Prominent people are being of this country. We shall deal with be left to walk unguarded on the Hamid Sulaiman, Seleman Hijar they have been seeing a suspicious gunned down in a similar style. those evil terrorists and we promise street at night with her children.” Nyamandondo, Mohammad Ali motorcycle parked outside her gate. Government should explain the Ugandans that we shall get them,” Mohammad, Dr. Ismael Kalule and “The bodaboda would stop at security situation in this country,” he told the 503 UPDF officers, who Complied by Carol Kasujja, Muzafar Luyima. her gate. At times they would ride said Muwanga Kivumbi, the shadow were yesterday retired at Bombo Henry Sekanjako and Moses around,” the neighbour added. minister of internal affairs. Military Barracks. Walubiri and David Lumu More stories on page 6 and 15