In Summary: Christopher Okello Onyum is challenging his conviction and death sentences over the killing of four toddlers at a Ggaba daycare centre. His appeal will be heard by Justices Christopher Gashirabake, Eva K. Luswata and John Mike Musisi, with the defence contesting the evaluation of evidence, the rejection of his insanity defence and the severity of the punishment.
Kampala, Uganda — The Court of Appeal has assigned a panel of three justices to hear Christopher Okello Onyum’s appeal against his conviction and death sentences for murdering four toddlers at a daycare centre in Ggaba, Kampala.
Justices Christopher Gashirabake, Eva K. Luswata and John Mike Musisi have been assigned to handle the appeal, according to a judicial officer allocation notification issued through the Judiciary’s Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) on November 10, 2026.
The appeal, registered as Criminal Appeal No. COA-00-CR-CN-0288-2026, challenges the High Court’s decision to convict Onyum on four counts of murder and sentence him to death.
In his memorandum of appeal filed on June 12, Onyum raises three grounds on which he wants the appellate court to overturn the decision.
He first argues that the trial judge, Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha, erred in law and fact by failing to properly evaluate the evidence, resulting in what he describes as a wrong decision and a miscarriage of justice.
His second ground concerns the assessment of medical evidence relating to his mental condition. He argues that the trial judge failed to properly evaluate evidence about his mental status before reaching the verdict.
The argument revisits the insanity defence raised during the trial, which the High Court rejected after finding that the evidence did not establish that Onyum suffered from a disease of the mind that deprived him of the ability to understand the nature and consequences of his actions at the time of the killings.
In his third ground, Onyum challenges the death sentences, arguing that they were harsh and excessive. He is asking the Court of Appeal to quash his convictions, set aside or vary the sentences and release him.
The appeal follows the April 2, 2026 killings at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre in Makindye Division, where four children aged below three years were fatally attacked. The victims were Gideon Eteku, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Ignatius Sseruyange and Ryan Odeke.
Prosecution evidence presented during the trial indicated that Onyum visited the daycare centre under the pretext of seeking admission for a child before attacking the toddlers.
The case was heard by the High Court through a mobile court sitting at Ggaba Community Church grounds, close to the scene of the killings. Justice Komuhangi Khaukha delivered the judgment on April 30, convicting Onyum on all four counts of murder contrary to Sections 171 and 172 of the Penal Code Act.
The judge dismissed the insanity defence, relying on psychiatric assessments, witness testimony, CCTV footage, call records, forensic evidence and evidence concerning Onyum’s conduct before and during the attack.
The court found that the prosecution had proved the ingredients of murder beyond reasonable doubt. The three assessors who assisted the court also advised that he be convicted.
On April 30, the judge sentenced Onyum to death on each of the four counts, describing the offences as falling within the rarest-of-the-rare category warranting the maximum punishment.
Onyum subsequently filed a notice of appeal on May 6, 2026, from Luzira Prison, indicating his intention to challenge both the convictions and sentences.
He later lodged the memorandum of appeal on June 12 through the Uganda Law Society’s Legal Aid Project, setting out the three grounds on which he wants the Court of Appeal to intervene. Monitor
The appeal now places the High Court’s assessment of the evidence, particularly its treatment of the insanity defence and the question of criminal responsibility, before the appellate court.
The Court of Appeal will determine whether the trial court made errors warranting interference with the convictions or sentences. The assignment of the panel does not, by itself, indicate when the appeal will be heard or how the justices will rule.
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