The High Court in Kampala has sentenced Christopher Okello Onyum to death following his conviction in the Ggaba murder trial involving the killing of four young children at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre.

The court found that Okello deliberately carried out the attack on April 2, 2026, targeting children in a place meant to be a safe learning environment. The incident, widely referred to as the Ggaba kindergarten killings verdict, has drawn nationwide shock and condemnation.

Presiding judge Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha ruled that the offence fell within the “rarest of the rare” category, justifying the maximum penalty under Uganda’s sentencing guidelines. The court emphasized the extreme vulnerability of the victims and described the act as exceptionally cruel.

During the proceedings, the prosecution argued that the attack was premeditated and executed with extreme brutality. The court also noted that Okello showed no remorse throughout the trial.

Okello was convicted over the deaths of Gideon Eteku, Keisha Agenorwoth Otim, Ignatius Sseruyange, and Ryan Odeke, all pupils at the kindergarten.

The judgment was delivered in a mobile court session held in Ggaba, which attracted large crowds and intense public attention due to the gravity of the case.

Following the ruling, Okello has the legal right to appeal the death sentence within 14 days, as provided under Ugandan law.

The Ggaba murder trial has become one of the most closely followed criminal cases in Uganda in recent years, sparking national debate on child safety and capital punishment.