news 15 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Daycare Murder Convict Okello Onyum Appeals Death Sentence
Christopher Okello Onyum, sentenced to death for the murder of four children at a Ggaba daycare center, is appealing his conviction and sentence, citing insufficient evidence evaluation and the rejection of his insanity defense. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/death-row-inmate-okello-onyum-appeals-conviction-over-daycare-murders-5496730
Christopher Okello Onyum, who has been handed a death sentence for the brutal murders of four toddlers at a daycare center in Ggaba, is now challenging both his conviction and the subsequent penalty.
Onyum has lodged a formal appeal with the Court of Appeal, contesting the High Court’s decision on April 30. The conviction stemmed from the killings of Eteku Gideon, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Sseruyange Ignatius, and Odeke Ryan.
In his appeal memorandum, Onyum’s legal team contends that the trial judge failed to adequately consider the presented evidence, leading to an erroneous guilty verdict. His legal challenge also focuses on the court’s dismissal of his defense that he was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the tragic events.
Furthermore, Onyum argues that the death sentence itself is disproportionately severe and should be overturned or lessened. He is requesting the Court of Appeal to nullify the convictions, set aside the sentence, and order his immediate release.
The case originated from the shocking incident on April 2, 2026, which sent waves of grief and outrage across the nation. During the sentencing, Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha characterized the murders as falling into the “rarest of rare” category, warranting the harshest penalty.
Justice Komuhangi rejected the insanity defense, stating that the medical evidence did not support the claim of mental illness at the time of the offenses, asserting that “The accused was very sane in April when committing these offences. Therefore, his defence of insanity won’t help him.”
The judge cited the extreme vulnerability of the young victims, the horrific circumstances of the attack, and the convict’s perceived lack of remorse as factors in imposing the sentence. Justice Komuhangi also suggested that the killings might have been linked to ritualistic motives, finding no other plausible explanation for such an attack on children in a place of supposed safety.
The initial death sentence was met with approval from the victims’ relatives and local residents present at the trial. The Court of Appeal is expected to schedule a hearing date for this new appeal.