Tobiko urges for enhanced protection for judicial officers as Uganda prosecutor killed
Uganda’s Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Joan Kagezi who was killed by suspected Al-Shabaab militants. Kenya's DPP Keriako Tobiko has called for enhanced protection for judicial officers. PHOTO | COURTESY | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Tobiko was reacting to the killing of Uganda’s Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Joan Kagezi by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.
- He termed the incident as one that has made the week a dark one for the administrators of justice in Uganda, the East African region and the world at large.
- Ms Kagezi, 48 was shot dead by two unknown assailants who were trailing her on a boda boda in Kiwatule, Kampala on Monday night.
- She met her death at a time when she was prosecuting 13 Al-Shaabab suspects who are charged over the twin 2010 Kampala bombings.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko has asked governments to look into the security of prosecutors, judicial officers and investigators handling emerging and transnational organised crimes.
Mr Tobiko who was reacting to the killing of Uganda’s Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Joan Kagezi by suspected Al-Shabaab militants, said the security of law enforcers can no longer be taken for granted in light of the upsurge in organised crimes that the officers have to deal with on a daily basis.
“This incident has the potential of emboldening other organised criminal gangs on slowing down prosecutions which could paralyse the criminal justice system” Mr Tobiko said in a statement.
He said: “To avert this, it is time decisive action is taken to ensure adequate protection is accorded to prosecutors, investigators and judicial officers.”
DARK WEEK FOR EAST AFRICA
He termed the incident as one that has made the week a dark one for the administrators of justice in Uganda, the East African region and the world at large.
“The deceased, who was also a Senior Principal State Attorney had worked with the Kenyan and Tanzanian law enforcement agencies at the initial stages of the investigations into the Kampala bombings of 2010 by Al-Shabaab terrorists,” he said.
Ms Kagezi, 48 was shot dead by two unknown assailants who were trailing her on a boda boda in Kiwatule, Kampala on Monday night.
She met her death at a time when she was prosecuting 13 Al-Shaabab suspects who are charged over the twin 2010 Kampala bombings.
Her death also came at a time when the US embassy in Uganda had warned of an eminent terror attack by the Al-Shaabab militants.
The suspects face charges of murder, attempted murder, belonging to Al-Shaabab group an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, a terrorist organisation among other charges.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions in Uganda Tuesady evening issued a burial programme for the slain assistant DPP Joan Kagezi who is expected to be buried Thursday at Bukasa, Buloba along Mityana Road.
