KAMPALA – The suspect in the Ggaba Kindergarten tragedy, the brutal stabbing of four toddlers, Christopher Okello Onyum, has asked the court to throw out the charges against him, arguing that the prosecution has failed to prove intent.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Christopher Okello said this while at the High Court in Kampala as he began his defense following a two-week trial where 17 witnesses, including grieving parents and forensic experts, laid out a chilling timeline of the April 2nd killings.
Onyum, who faces four counts of murder, appeared before Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha and maintained his innocence, insisting the horrific incident of April 2, 2026, was not a deliberate act.
He told the court he did not cause the deaths of the four children, alluded to unnamed coercive factors, and claimed he was not in control of his actions because something was forcing him against his will.
“There were factors that were forcing me. I did not do those things willingly… I am a person of generally good moral character, hardworking, focused and resourceful. I had a bright future, people to look after, and a business in the making. I could not do such a thing,” Onyum pleaded.
However, his application for dismissal faces an uphill battle, as the presiding judge ruled that Onyum has a prima facie case to answer after prosecutors presented sufficient evidence during preliminary hearings.
Prosecutors painted a chilling picture of the attack, alleging that Onyum posed as a parent to access the daycare before stabbing and killing four young children aged between 15 months and three years old: Eteku Gideon, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Sseruyange Ignitius, and Odeke Ryan.
Further contradicting his claim of being forced, several witnesses testified that Onyum voluntarily confessed, telling the court he believed the killings would bring him immense wealth through human sacrifice.
Christopher Okello Onyum was arrested on the same day as the attack, April 2, 2026, and is being tried on four counts of murder contrary to Sections 171 and 172 of the Penal Code Act.
The families of the deceased toddlers continue to pack the public gallery, seeking justice for what remains one of the most heartbreaking crimes as the trial moves into its next phase.
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