President Museveni has asked the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Jane Frances Abodo, to go after the killers of Assistant DPP Joan Kagezi and prosecute them even from out of the country.
The head of State said if the process to have the alleged killers brought back home to face the long hand of the law has been frustrated, “we should go after them abroad where they are hiding”.
“…But I know the story, these people (suspected killers) were identified, they were seen clearly,” President Museveni said at the 5th Joan Kagezi Memorial Lecture in Kampala yesterday.
In an attempt to find her killers, police arrested several people, but were later released after none of was them was found to have a link to her murder.
Seven years later, no one has ever been arraigned before courts of law and prosecuted.
In June last year, President Museveni, during one of his televised national Covid-19 addresses, said Kagezi’s killers were hiding abroad.
He added that they were supposed to have been produced in the country through the International Police (Interpol) unit.
But yesterday, Mr Museveni, in the absence of Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, tasked Ms Abodo to explain to the more than 300 prosecutors who had gathered for the memorial lecture why this has not happened.
“Isn’t crime trans-national also? Isn’t accountability transnational? Abodo, come and help me here…why can’t we say, if you don’t want to bring this person here (Uganda) try him there, tell me what the problem is,” the President demanded.
In response, Justice Abodo, who rushed to the podium, explained that there are a number of issues when dealing with extradition of suspects.
“…Sometimes because we have a death penalty in our laws… We can do that but it depends on what relationship or treaties we have signed with particular countries…” she explained to Mr Museveni.