PROFILE
When Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha presides over court, she brings with her more than two decades of prosecutorial experience shaped in some of Uganda’s most complex criminal cases.
Justice Komuhangi, currently serving as a High Court judge following her appointment in August 2021 by President Yoweri Museveni, has handled several high profile criminal cases including the infamous Masaka Machete-wielding case also known as the Masaka massacres involving former Kawempe North MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya alias Mr. Updates – now deceased, and Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana.
Komuhangi, who has recently been associated with proceedings in the Ggaba Children Murder case, rose through the ranks of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), where she built a reputation as a seasoned prosecutor and administrator.
Born in Rujumbura, Rukungiri District, she began her legal career in 1999 as a Pupil State Attorney. Over the years, she steadily climbed the professional ladder, becoming Senior State Attorney in 2003, Principal State Attorney in 2007, and later Senior Principal State Attorney in 2014.
Her rapid rise continued in 2017 when she was appointed Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, before being elevated to Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in 2020. In that role, she headed the Directorate of Inspections, Research, Quality Assurance and Training.
Komuhangi previously led the Anti-Corruption Department of the ODPP, where she handled complex corruption, money laundering, and asset recovery cases. During her tenure, she played a key role in regional cooperation as Uganda’s focal point person to the Asset Recovery Network for Eastern Africa (ARIN-EA), a platform that facilitates cross-border collaboration in tracing illicit assets.
She also contributed to the development of key anti-corruption legislation, including the Anti-Corruption Act (2009), the Whistle Blowers Protection Act (2010), and the Anti-Money Laundering law (2013).
Earlier in her career, she headed the Kampala Regional Office of the ODPP,the busiest prosecutorial station in the country, between 2013 and 2016. She also served in various field stations across Eastern and Central Uganda and was part of the pioneering Anti-Fraud Unit that handled high-profile financial crimes.
In the area of child justice, Komuhangi headed the Gender, Children and Sexual Offences Department, where she introduced a training curriculum on child psychology and pioneered the establishment of child-friendly spaces to support young witnesses during court processes.
Her prosecutorial work includes handling Global Fund cases, where she was part of teams that secured a 100 per cent conviction rate.
Academically, Komuhangi holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Master of Laws from Makerere University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, and a Master’s degree in Institutional Management and Leadership from the Uganda Management Institute.
She is married to Andrew Khaukha, also a High Court judge, and the couple has children. Beyond her legal career, she is known for openly expressing her Christian faith.
