The Court of Appeal has constituted a panel of three Justices to hear an appeal filed by Christopher Okello Onyum, who was sentenced to death for the murder of four toddlers at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre in Kampala.
According to a judicial officer allocation notification issued through the Judiciary’s Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) on November 10, 2026, the appeal has been assigned to Justices Christopher Gashirabake, Eva K. Luswata and John Mike Musisi.
Justice Gashirabake has been designated as the lead judicial officer on the panel.
The constitution of the panel marks another step in the appellate proceedings in which Okello is seeking to overturn both his conviction and the death sentence imposed by the High Court.
Okello, 39, was convicted on four counts of murder following a fast-tracked trial presided over by Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha. On April 30, 2026, the judge sentenced him to death on all four counts.
The murders occurred on April 2, 2026, at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, where four children aged between one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half years were killed. The victims were identified as Gideon Eteku, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Ignitius Sseruyange and Rayan Odeke.
In her judgment, Justice Komuhangi Khaukha described the killings as barbaric and among the rarest of rare cases, warranting the maximum punishment.
Dissatisfied with the decision, Okello, who is currently detained at Luzira Prison, filed a notice of appeal on May 6, 2026, indicating his intention to challenge both the conviction and sentence.
He subsequently filed a memorandum of appeal on June 12, 2026, outlining three principal grounds upon which he wants the Court of Appeal to overturn the High Court decision.
First, Okello argues that the trial judge erred in law and fact by failing to properly evaluate the evidence presented during the trial, resulting in what he describes as a miscarriage of justice.
Second, he faults the trial court for allegedly failing to give adequate consideration to medical evidence concerning his mental state during the proceedings.
Third, he contends that the death sentence imposed on him was harsh and excessive, and should therefore be set aside.
The Court of Appeal will now consider the grounds raised in his appeal as the legal process moves to the next stage.
By Edith Namwanje
11th Nov 2026
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