Christopher Okello Onyum, sentenced to death for the murder of four toddlers at a daycare centre in Ggaba, has appealed both his conviction and sentence, arguing that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the evidence and wrongly rejected his insanity defence.

Onyum filed a notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal challenging the 30th April judgment of the High Court, which found him guilty of murdering four children at a daycare centre in the Ggaba suburb of Kampala.

Court records show Onyum is seeking to overturn the decision of Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha, who convicted him of the murders of Eteku Gideon, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Sseruyange Ignatius, and Odeke Ryan.

In his memorandum of appeal dated 12th June, Onyum argues that the trial judge failed to properly assess the evidence before reaching a guilty verdict.

“That the Learned Judge erred in law and fact when she failed to properly evaluate the evidence before her thereby arriving at a wrong conclusion and occasioned a miscarriage of justice,” the appeal states.

He also challenges the court’s rejection of his claim that he was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the killings.

“That the Learned trial Judge erred in law and fact by not properly evaluating the medical evidence regarding the mental status of the Appellant thereby arriving at a wrong decision,” the appeal adds.

Onyum further argues that the death sentence imposed on him was excessive and should be set aside or reduced. The appellant is asking the Court of Appeal to quash the convictions, set aside the sentence, and order his release.

The case stems from the killing of four children at a daycare centre in Ggaba on 2nd April 2026, an incident that shocked the country and sparked widespread outrage. The victims, all toddlers, were attacked in a place where parents had entrusted their children to safety and care.

While sentencing him, Justice Komuhangi described the murders as falling within the “rarest of rare” category deserving the maximum penalty.

The judge rejected the insanity defence, ruling that medical evidence presented before court did not support claims that Onyum was mentally ill when the offences were committed.

“The accused was very sane in April when committing these offences. Therefore, his defence of insanity won’t help him,” she ruled.

In imposing sentence, the court cited the vulnerability of the victims, the circumstances of the attack, and what it described as the convict’s lack of remorse.

Justice Komuhangi also stated that she believed the killings were linked to ritual sacrifice, saying she could find no other explanation for the attack on children in a place expected to provide safety and care.

That finding, while not a formal part of the conviction, added a chilling dimension to a case that had already gripped the nation.

The death sentence was welcomed by relatives of the victims and residents who attended the mobile court session in Ggaba, with some applauding the ruling. For many in the community, the swift conviction and harsh sentence were seen as justice served.

Now, with Onyum’s appeal, that sense of closure may be delayed.

The Court of Appeal is expected to fix a hearing date for the appeal. The court will review the trial record, hear arguments from Onyum’s legal team and the prosecution, and determine whether the High Court made errors of law or fact that warrant overturning the conviction or reducing the sentence.

If the appeal fails, Onyum will remain on death row. If it succeeds, he could be acquitted, granted a new trial, or have his sentence reduced to a lesser penalty, such as life imprisonment.

For the families of the four toddlers who lost their lives, the appeal reopens wounds that had only recently begun to heal.