crime 24 April 2026 The Observer (Uganda)
Ggaba Massacre Trial: Caretaker's Terrifying Account as Okello Pleads Not Guilty
Christopher Okello Onyum denied charges of murdering four toddlers at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, prompting outrage in court. Witnesses detailed his deceptive entry and brutal attack, while medical experts questioned his mental state despite his claims of ritual killings for wealth. Source: https://observer.ug/news/inside-ggaba-horror-court-hears-chilling-details-as-okello-denies-murder-charges
The High Court in Uganda grew tense during the trial of Christopher Okello Onyum, accused of killing four young children at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre on April 2. Okello pleaded not guilty before Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha, sparking murmurs of anger from the crowded public gallery that required judicial intervention.
Prosecutors, led by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya and Anna Kiiza, presented postmortem reports confirming the deaths. Caretaker Phoebe Namutebi, with five years at the centre, testified as the sixth witness about her encounters with Okello.
The day before the incident, around 11 am on April 1, Okello approached Namutebi claiming he needed to enroll a quiet three-year-old child who would benefit from other kids. Despite the centre serving younger ages, he persisted, inquired about fees—Shs180,000 including uniform—and promised to return.
On April 2, he came back with a child’s bag, paid via mobile money, and introduced himself as a Good Samaritan aiding an abandoned mother. Namutebi issued a receipt for ‘Zuriel Onyum.’ Moments later, she spotted him through a window seemingly assaulting a child.
Rushing out, Namutebi found Keisha Agenorwoth Otim bleeding, then saw Okello with a knife attacking another child. She hurled a bicycle at him in vain; he chased her as she screamed and stumbled in panic. More children were stabbed amid the chaos.
Bystanders and staff subdued Okello, locking him in a security room after he discarded one knife over the fence. Two more were found in his socks. He remained silent, breathing heavily with the bag still on his back. Police arrived too late to save the victims.
The prosecution showed the signed receipt recovered from Okello. Dr. Emmanuel Nuwamaya, from Police Health Services, examined him on April 7 and noted Okello justified the killings as ‘fortune hunting’ through human sacrifice. Despite a self-reported history of hallucinations and a suicide attempt from 2016-2025, he appeared stable, coherent, and rational.
Dr. Rogers Agenda, who evaluated Okello in December for citizenship, confirmed no mental disorder, deeming him sane and fit to reside in Uganda. The trial contrasts eyewitness horrors with debates over his mindset, leaving families and the public seeking answers.
Source: The Observer (Uganda)