Ggaba toddler murder trial pushed to Monday April 20th
KAMPALA: The High Court has adjourned the hearing of a case in which Christopher Okello Onyum is accused of murdering four children at a daycare centre in Ggaba.
Presiding Judge Alice Komuhangi Khaukha adjourned the matter to Monday, April 20th, 2026, when the prosecution is expected to present additional witnesses.
The prosecution team, led by Jonathan Muwaganya and Ann Kiiza, informed the court that more evidence will be introduced as the trial resumes.
During today’s session, the court heard testimony from two medical doctors regarding the mental state of the accused.
Testifying as the 12th prosecution witness, Dr. Rogers Agenda, a psychiatrist at C-Care Clinic under International Hospital Kampala, told court that Okello voluntarily sought a psychiatric evaluation on December 30th, 2025.
Dr. Agenda explained that the assessment was a mandatory requirement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for individuals applying for Ugandan citizenship.
He told court that he conducted a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, which involved open ended questions designed to detect any signs of mental illness.
According to his testimony, Okello denied experiencing symptoms such as prolonged sadness, loss of interest in activities, excessive fear, or abnormal mood changes.
He also denied hallucinations and drug abuse, stating that he only consumed alcohol occasionally.
The doctor further noted that Okello presented as calm, well-oriented, and cooperative, maintaining eye contact, with coherent speech and logical thought processes.
Dr. Agenda concluded that, at the time of assessment, Okello had no mental disorder and was mentally stable.
The psychiatric report has since been admitted as evidence by the prosecution, which argues that it supports claims of premeditation in the alleged murder of the four children.
Also earlier on Friday, Dr. Emmanuel Nuwamaya, a medical practitioner with over 25 years of experience, told court that he examined the accused on April 7th, 2026, following a request from Ggaba Police Station.
The doctor testified that at the time of examination, Okello had multiple injuries, including bruises on the forehead, eye, abdomen, and back.
He said the injuries were caused by blunt force and were already healing, estimated to be about three to four days old.
On the accused’s mental state, Dr. Nuwamaya informed the court that Okello was calm, cooperative, and exhibited normal behavior.
He added that the accused’s speech was coherent, memory intact, and judgment appeared sound.
However, the doctor noted that during the examination, Okello expressed beliefs linked to wealth acquisition through human sacrifice and reportedly explained that the alleged killings were motivated by a desire for enrichment.
Court also heard that Okello claimed to have suffered from mental illness between 2016 and 2025, including experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations.
He further alleged that he had previously killed his younger brother and had attempted suicide in 2023.
Dr. Nuwamaya clarified that this information was not independently verified, as the accused did not provide any supporting medical documents at the time of examination.
Despite these claims, the doctor maintained that based on his professional assessment, Okello was mentally stable at the time he was examined and did not exhibit symptoms that would impair his judgment.
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