A Ugandan man has been sentenced to death after being found guilty of murdering four toddlers at a daycare centre in what the presiding judge described as an unprecedented crime in the country.
Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha handed down the sentence against 38-year-old Christopher Okello Onyum on Thursday, telling him directly: “I hereby sentence you to suffer death for the murder of Gideon Eteku, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Ignatius Sseruyange and Ryan Odeke,” referring to the four counts against him.
The judge said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Okello carried out the killings. Okello has 14 days to appeal his conviction and sentence.
The case dates back to April 2, when a man walked into the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Programme and stabbed four children, all aged between one and two and a half years old, to death with a kitchen knife. Okello was arrested at the scene, and the attack triggered nationwide outrage.
President Museveni directed the Judiciary to handle the case through a newly introduced mobile court system, bringing proceedings into the community where the killings took place. A makeshift courtroom was erected at Ggaba Community Church playgrounds near Lake Victoria, drawing lawyers, journalists and hundreds of residents who followed the case closely.
What was expected to wrap up within a week stretched into three weeks after Okello pleaded not guilty to all four counts of murder, forcing prosecutors to call 18 witnesses to build their case.
The trial was marked by several dramatic moments along the way. A reversing prison van struck a group of journalists on April 15, seriously injuring one reporter. Days later, a sudden storm tore through the outdoor venue, ripping apart the tents sheltering the court and forcing the evacuation of the judge as attendees scattered.
Each session opened with prayers led by a local pastor, an unusual feature that reflected the deep emotional weight the case carried for the surrounding community.
Okello’s behaviour in court drew attention throughout the proceedings. He was occasionally spotted laughing behind his face mask, something his lawyer Richard Kumbuga pointed to as a possible sign of mental illness.
Public reaction to the trial was split. Many people wanted harsher treatment for the accused, while others noted that the court stuck to constitutional principles throughout, including the presumption of innocence. The judge greeted Okello respectfully at the start of each session, a practice that drew criticism from some but was defended by legal observers as proper conduct.
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