Kampala, Uganda: When President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni named Lino Anguzu as the new Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), many Ugandans were caught off guard, wondering, who is this quiet man who has risen from the middle ranks of the prosecutorial system to one of the most powerful offices in Uganda’s justice structure?
Within legal circles, however, Anguzu is known as a quiet, methodical, and no-nonsense prosecutor whose steady climb through the ranks has finally brought him to the country’s most powerful prosecutorial seat.
A deep look into his career reveals a story of consistency, competence, and quiet resilience that has seen him rise through the ranks, one file, one case, one conviction at a time.
Below, DailyExpress unpacks the career, character, and rise of Uganda’s new chief prosecutor.
Early Life and Education
Lino Anguzu’s academic journey began at Arua Demonstration School, where he sat for his Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in 1991. He then joined St. Joseph’s College Ombaci in Arua for his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE), which he completed in 1995, before proceeding to St. Charles Lwanga College, Koboko, for his UACE, completed in 1998.
He later joined Makerere University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Laws (LLB) in 2003, before enrolling at the Law Development Centre (LDC) for his Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice in 2004.
Anguzu also holds a Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) and a Master’s Degree in Public Infrastructure Management from Makerere University, demonstrating his blend of legal, administrative, and policy expertise.
Rising Through the Ranks
Until his appointment as the new DPP, Mr. Anguzu was the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (ADPP), heading the International Crimes Department (ICD) at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
He began his public service career at the ODPP as a State Attorney, and through two decades of dedication, rose through every rank — from Resident State Attorney, to Senior State Attorney, to Principal State Attorney, and eventually to Assistant DPP.
From 2019 to 2025, he served as Head of the International Crimes Department, where his responsibilities included directing complex criminal investigations, managing transnational crime prosecutions, providing policy guidance, planning, and overseeing administration of the specialized unit.
Between 2015 and 2019, while at the rank of Senior State Attorney, Mr. Anguzu prosecuted some of Uganda’s first international crimes cases before the International Crimes Division of the High Court, a division that handles serious offences such as terrorism, war crimes, and human trafficking.
Before that, between 2004 and 2010, he served as Resident State Attorney in Mbale and Arua districts, where he headed district prosecution services, representing the DPP in regional criminal matters.
Earlier, from 2003 to 2004, Anguzu worked as a Legal Officer with FIDA Uganda, providing pro bono legal aid to indigent clients, especially women and vulnerable persons — a role that grounded his early commitment to justice and equality before the law.
High-Profile Cases Prosecuted
1. The Dr Kizza Besigye Treason Case (2016): In one of Uganda’s most politically charged cases, Mr Anguzu was among the senior prosecutors who handled the treason case against former FDC leader Dr Kizza Besigye, following the disputed 2016 presidential election.
Dr Besigye was accused of illegally swearing himself in as President of Uganda, with the case file transferred to Nakawa Chief Magistrates’ Court. However, after nearly four years without progress, the DPP’s office withdrew the case, citing delayed police investigations.
2. The 2010 Kampala Twin Bombings Case; Mr Anguzu also played a key role as co-prosecutor in one of Uganda’s most devastating terrorism trials — the 2010 Kampala twin bombings case that killed 76 football fans at Kyadondo Rugby Club and Ethiopian Village, Kabalagala.
He served as deputy lead prosecutor to Susan Okalany (now a High Court Judge), taking over greater responsibility after the murder of the then lead prosecutor Joan Kagezi in 2015.
In 2021, appearing before Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo (now Chief Justice), Anguzu sought the death penalty for the convicted suspects, arguing that “the magnitude of their crime warranted the maximum sentence.” CJ Dollo, however, sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment, the second-highest punishment under Ugandan law.
A Career Defined by Quiet Efficiency
Within the ODPP, Anguzu is admired for his discipline, professionalism, and non-partisan approach to justice. Colleagues describe him as “a quiet achiever”, deeply focused on his work and rarely seen in the limelight.
“He is the kind of prosecutor who lets the evidence speak for him,” said one senior State Attorney. “He doesn’t seek publicity, but his record speaks volumes.”
His steady leadership at the International Crimes Department has seen Uganda strengthen international cooperation frameworks, especially in terrorism, trafficking, and war crimes prosecutions.
A Surprise Yet Strategic Appointment
Anguzu’s appointment as DPP surprised many, given that he was still an Assistant DPP, technically fourth in line after three Deputy Directors. But insiders say the President was impressed by his clean record, loyalty, and technical mastery of prosecution work.
He is widely regarded as a technocrat, not a politician, which may explain the President’s decision to pick him as a reform-minded DPP capable of restoring efficiency and credibility within the institution.
The Task Ahead
As Uganda’s new DPP, Anguzu faces major challenges, among which include; clearing the case backlog across the country, strengthening district-level prosecution services, ensuring prosecutorial independence from political interference, enhancing witness protection and victim support and digitizing the ODPP’s systems to improve efficiency.
With nearly two decades of experience and a reputation for quiet competence, Lino Anguzu’s rise from State Attorney to DPP is a rare story of merit-based advancement, a testament to the idea that integrity and discipline can still define success in public service.
Private Life
Away from the courtroom, Anguzu is described as family-oriented, humble, and deeply religious. He is said to value privacy, rarely attends social events, and spends most of his free time reading or mentoring junior prosecutors.
“He’s the kind who prefers results to recognition,” said one of his close associates. “He believes in quiet service.”
Anguzu’s appointment comes at a defining time for Uganda’s justice system, a period marked by calls for greater prosecutorial independence, stronger anti-corruption enforcement, and renewed efficiency in handling major cases.
Whether he can rise above bureaucratic and political pressures remains to be seen, but his record suggests a man who works best under pressure and prefers to let his work speak for him.
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