Kampala, Uganda: The High Court in Kampala has sentenced Christopher Okello Onyum to death for the brutal murder of four toddlers at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, in one of Uganda’s most shocking criminal cases in recent years.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, April 30, High Court Judge, Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha found Okello guilty of murdering the four children on April 2, 2026, dismissing his defence of insanity.
“The accused was very sane on April 2, 2026, when he committed the offences. Therefore, his defence of insanity will not help him,” Justice Komuhangi ruled.
Court heard that Okello’s conduct before and during the attack demonstrated full awareness and intent, contradicting claims that he was suffering from a mental illness at the time.
The judge further cited evidence of prior planning, including online searches linked to violent extremist content, which she said pointed to a calculated and deliberate act.
According to court findings, the killings were carried out within minutes, underscoring the severity and premeditated nature of the crime. The victims were identified as Eteku Gideon, Keisha Agenorwoth, Ignatius Sseruyange and Ryan Odeke.
The ruling brings to a close a case that had gripped the nation, raising concerns over child safety, mental health claims in criminal trials, and the growing influence of violent online content.
Uganda retains the death penalty for capital offences such as murder, although executions have not been carried out in recent years. Courts continue to issue death sentences, which may later be commuted to life imprisonment.
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