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Kampala, (UG): Ugandans on Saturday morning were met with the news of the untimely death of John Chris Bakiza, the former director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate.
Bakiza, who at the time of his demise was a constitutional law specialist and lecturer at the Law Development Centre (LDC), breathed his last at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala on Friday night according to reports.
Former Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye, in a post via X (formerly Twitter), expressed his sadness, recalling their shared experiences saying; “It’s so sad to hear about your passing on SACP (Rtd) John Bakiza, former Police director Ops & CID.”
“We were together at the launch of my book ‘Chosen’ on July 30, 2022. Amidst troubled times, you remained humble, served as an advocate of the High Court, and taught criminal law at LDC,” he added.
Who is Bakiza?
John Chris Bakiza’s career in law enforcement and legal services was extensive. He joined the Police Force in 1980 and was one of the first 26 graduate cadet officers.
His journey within the police led him to serve as the CID officer-in-charge at the Bank of Uganda for three years until 1990.
In 1990, he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and took charge of the Directorate of Legal Services at the parliamentary building, the former Police headquarters in Kampala.
From 1992 to 1996, Bakiza assumed various leadership roles, including director of administration and finance, and director of operations. His career reached its pinnacle when he served as the director of CID headquarters in Kampala from 1997 to 1999.
However, he retired in 2000 to establish his private law firm, Bakiza and Company Advocates, where he served as the managing partner.
His tenure as the head of the police’s crime-fighting unit was marked by significant achievements and contributions to law enforcement. Nevertheless, his leadership came to an abrupt end due to a public judicial inquiry led by Justice Julia Sebutinde into corruption within the Police Force.
Bakiza’s death leaves a void in Uganda’s law enforcement and legal community.
He was known for his expertise in constitutional law and his role as an external examiner at LDC and his passing marks the end of an era for those who had the privilege of learning from his legal insights and knowledge.