KAMPALA – Christopher Okello Onyum, the man recently sentenced to death for the brutal killing of four toddlers at a Ggaba daycare center, has formally initiated the appeal process against his conviction and sentence.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The development was confirmed by the detaining prison officials who noted that Okello is utilizing the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) to challenge the High Court’s judgment.
The 39-year-old was handed the death penalty on April 30, 2026, by High Court Judge Alice Komuhangi Khaukha, who labeled the crimes as “barbaric” and falling among the “rarest of the rare cases.”
The horrific incident occurred on April 2, 2026, at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, claiming the lives of four young learners: Gideon Eteku, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Ignitius Sseruyange, and Rayan Odeke, all aged between 1½ and 2½ years old.
Following his conviction, the court granted Okello a 14-day window to appeal, and he acted swiftly, on May 6, 2026, filing a handwritten and thumbprinted notice of appeal from his cell at Luzira Prison.
Okello, in the notice addressed to the Court of Appeal in Kampala, declared his intention to overturn Lady Justice Khaukha’s decision, arguing that the learned judge failed to properly evaluate the evidence presented against him.
According to court records retrieved from the Judiciary’s ECCMIS platform, Okello escalated his challenge on June 12, 2026, by filing a detailed memorandum of appeal citing three main grounds.
First, he argues that the trial judge erred in law and fact by failing to properly evaluate the evidence, which he claims led to a miscarriage of justice.
He also contends that the court did not adequately consider medical evidence regarding his mental status during the trial, and describes the death sentence as harsh and excessive, asking the appellate court to set it aside.
Christopher Okello Onyum, in his prayer to the Court of Appeal, seeks to have his conviction quashed and the sentence reversed, requesting that he be set “at liberty.”
His appeal is reportedly being prepared with support from the Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society, while Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi is expected to oversee the constitution of a panel of three justices to hear the matter.
Meanwhile, the legal team representing the victims and the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre is preparing a rigorous defense of the High Court’s verdict.
Lawyer Stanley Okecho, who represents the victims’ families, said the appellate court must match the urgency of the initial trial, noting the High Court proved a trial could be completed within a month.
“The High Court has demonstrated that a trial can happen within a month. Now it is up to the Appellate Court to uphold this standard,” Okecho said.
The case continues to draw intense national attention, not only for the severity of the crimes against infants but also due to the trial’s rare speed and the pioneering use of ECCMIS in a death penalty appeal.
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