Source: BBC Somali
Sawaibu Ibrahim
KAMPALA — A Ugandan court has sentenced a 38-year-old man to death by hanging after he was convicted of murdering four toddlers in a brutal knife attack at a nursery school in the capital, Kampala, earlier this month.
The convict, identified as Christopher Okello Onyum, was found guilty of carrying out the attack on April 2 at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, where he fatally stabbed children aged between one and two years.
The victims were named as Eteku Gideon, Keisha Agenorwoth, Sseruyange Ignatius and Odeke Ryan. Prosecutors told the court that the attack was deliberate and exceptionally violent, causing shock and outrage across the country.
According to court proceedings, Onyum entered the nursery during daytime hours before launching the हमला with a knife, targeting the young children inside. Investigators said there was no immediate provocation, and the motive remains unclear, though authorities indicated the suspect may undergo further psychiatric evaluation.
Delivering the sentence, the presiding judge described the killings as “heinous, cruel and inhumane”, stating that the maximum penalty was warranted given the vulnerability of the victims and the nature of the crime.
Uganda retains the death penalty under its laws, though executions are rare. The last officially recorded execution in the country dates back to 2005, according to human rights groups.
Onyum, who holds dual citizenship of Uganda and the United States, has 14 days to file an appeal against the sentence. Legal analysts say the case could draw international attention due to both the severity of the crime and Uganda’s continued use of capital punishment.
The killings have sparked renewed debate within Uganda over **public safety, mental health
