By Our Reporter
Former Police Special Operations Commander, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nixon Agasirwe, has been arrested by joint security agencies in connection with the 2015 assassination of senior state prosecutor Joan Kagezi.
Agasirwe was apprehended in Kampala on Thursday and is currently being held at the Flying Squad headquarters in Kireka, according to sources close to the investigation. His arrest marks a significant development in the long-running investigation into one of Uganda’s most high-profile unsolved murders.
The renewed scrutiny into Kagezi’s killing follows testimony this week by a key prosecution witness, Daniel Kiwanuka Kisekka, a self-confessed UPDF deserter. While appearing before the International Crimes Division of the High Court, Kisekka alleged that a man he identified as “Nixon,” driving a white government vehicle, gave the order to assassinate Kagezi.
Investigators believe the “Nixon” referred to in court is Agasirwe, a once-powerful figure in the Uganda Police Force known for heading elite operations during the height of General Kale Kayihura’s tenure as Inspector General of Police.
Though no formal charges had been announced by press time, multiple security sources confirmed that Agasirwe’s arrest is linked to evidence being assembled by prosecutors preparing the case. Police spokesperson ACP Rusoke Kituuma could not be reached for comment.
This is not Agasirwe’s first run-in with the law. He was previously charged in a separate case involving the unlawful repatriation of Rwandan nationals, possession of military-grade weapons, and illegal detention. He was later released on bail.
Link to Other Murders
Agasirwe’s arrest has also reignited attention on a 2016 government ballistics report, which found that the firearm used to assassinate Kagezi was also linked to earlier targeted killings of Muslim clerics—including Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga and Sheikh Hassan Kirya. The possibility that a single weapon was used in multiple politically or religiously motivated killings has raised concerns about a broader conspiracy or organized hit network operating within or alongside the security apparatus.
Security officials now suspect that Agasirwe may have obstructed investigations into several of these cases by arresting and presenting suspects who were not genuinely involved—allegedly to shield the masterminds.
Legacy of Joan Kagezi
Joan Kagezi was Uganda’s lead prosecutor on terrorism and organized crime cases. At the time of her assassination on March 30, 2015, she was handling several high-stakes prosecutions, including the 2010 Kampala bombing case involving Somali-based militant group al-Shabaab.
She was shot dead in Kiwatule, Kampala, while driving home with her children. Her death shocked the nation and drew widespread condemnation from both local and international communities.
For nearly a decade, her murder remained unresolved despite multiple arrests and investigations. The arrest of Agasirwe, if followed by prosecution, may signal a turning point in the pursuit of justice for Kagezi and her family.
Further developments are expected as the investigation progresses and charges are formally filed.
