Agency
Christopher Okello Onyum, 39, who was recently sentenced to death over the killing of four nursery school children in Ggaba, has filed an appeal challenging both his conviction and sentence before the Court of Appeal in Kampala.
Okello was convicted by the High Court following a fast-tracked trial presided over by Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha, who found him guilty on four counts of murder and described the offences as “barbaric” and among the “rarest of the rare cases.” He was sentenced to death on April 30, 2026.
The murder occurred on April 2, 2026, at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, where four children aged between 1.5 and 2.5 years were killed.
Following his conviction, the court granted him 14 days within which to appeal if dissatisfied with the ruling.
On May 6, 2026, Okello filed a notice of appeal from Luzira Prison, indicating his intention to challenge both the conviction and sentence.
He argues that the trial judge erred in law and fact by failing to properly evaluate the evidence, resulting in a miscarriage of justice.
He further claims the court did not adequately consider medical evidence regarding his mental status during the trial.
He also contends that the death sentence imposed was harsh and excessive and should be set aside.
In his prayer to the Court of Appeal, Okello asks that the conviction be quashed and the sentence reversed, requesting to be “at liberty.”
