The High Court of Uganda has determined that Christopher Okello Onyum must present his defence in connection with the alleged killing of four toddlers at a daycare centre in Ggaba, marking a significant step forward in a case that has shocked communities across the country.
Delivering her ruling during a special court sitting at Ggaba Community Church, Alice Komuhangi Khaukha said the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence to require the accused to respond to the charges. The decision effectively closes the prosecution’s case and opens the next phase of the trial.
Over the course of two weeks, state prosecutors called 17 witnesses, including bereaved parents and forensic specialists, who detailed the events surrounding the April 2 incident.
Their testimonies painted a disturbing picture of how the attack is believed to have unfolded at the early childhood centre.
According to the prosecution team, led by Chief State Attorneys Jonathan Muwaganya and Anna Kiiza, the suspect is alleged to have gained access to the facility by pretending to be a parent before carrying out a violent assault on the children.
The victims, Ryan Odeke, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Gideon Eteku, and Ignatius Sseruyange, were all under the care of the centre at the time, and their deaths have continued to draw national attention and grief.
With the court ruling that there is a case to answer, the legal burden now shifts to the defence, which must either challenge the prosecution’s evidence or present its own account before the court can reach a final judgment.
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