Christopher Okello Onyum
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The High Court in Uganda has handed down a death sentence to the 38-year-old Christopher Okello Onyum on four counts of murder regarding the killing of four toddlers (Gideon Eteku, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Ignatius Sseruyange, and Ryan Odeke) at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre on April 2, 2026.
In Uganda, conviction for murder carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment
Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha had earlier on found Okello guilty based on overwhelming evidence, rejecting his defense of insanity and ruling that the murders were calculated and committed with malicious intent.
The trial was conducted in a rare “mobile court” session directly within the Ggaba community by directive of President Yoweri Museveni.
Komuhangi Khaukha ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court found that Okello was responsible for the killings, rejecting arguments advanced by the defence, including claims that the absence of first responders in court weakened the prosecution’s case.
Justice Komuhangi acknowledged that testimony from first responders would have strengthened the case but said their absence did not undermine the overall weight of the evidence presented by the prosecution.
On the question of identification, the court found that Okello was clearly visible and identifiable in video footage that had been presented as evidence and challenged by the defence during trial.
In her judgment, the judge said the nature of the attack demonstrated clear intent, concluding that the accused acted with malice aforethought.
“There is no way there is no malice aforethought,” Justice Komuhangi said, adding that the accused “butchered the children like goats or chicken,” in describing the brutality of the incident.
The court also dismissed Okello’s insanity defence, ruling that the burden of proving mental illness lay with the accused, which had not been discharged.
Justice Komuhangi noted that Okello was the only person who testified about his alleged mental unfitness and that his evidence was unsworn, which denied the prosecution an opportunity to cross-examine him.
She further questioned the credibility of his claims regarding alleged external influence, observing that he failed to identify the individuals he said had influenced him, which the court found significant.
The judge also addressed inconsistencies in claims that Okello had been treated at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, saying such information would not likely have been unknown to close relatives.
“If the father and mother are alive, they would have found it important to come and testify and provide evidence of mental illness. The accused who had the opportunity to furnish court with witnesses, never found his own parents as fit witness for him. This was unusual,” Justice Komuhangi said.
The court concluded that the defence of insanity was not supported by credible evidence and held that Okello was criminally responsible for the offences.
He was accordingly convicted on all four counts of murder and has been sentenced accordingly.
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