Christopher Okello Onyum has told the High Court of Uganda that he may not have been mentally fit at the time of the alleged killings at the centre of the Ggaba murder trial.
Taking the stand as the first witness in his defence, Okello said the prosecution had failed to fully consider his mental condition, suggesting that his state of mind at the time could have influenced the events in question.
“My Lord, whereas the prosecution contends that I was mentally fit at the time the children were killed, they may have overlooked elements of my mental condition,” he submitted.
His testimony drew murmurs from members of the public attending proceedings at the Ggaba open court, where interest in the case has fluctuated but appeared to rebound as the defence phase opened.
Okello challenged the prosecution’s assertion that he confessed to killing the children for financial gain, claiming that any such admissions were obtained under coercion.
He also disputed the contents of his charge and caution statement, in which he is recorded as admitting to intentionally killing the toddlers.
According to Okello, the statement was made under duress and should not be relied upon as evidence of guilt.
Maintaining his innocence, he told court that the deaths were not intentional and introduced a new claim that “three groups of people” were involved in the events of April 2.
However, he did not clearly identify the alleged groups, stating instead that his defence witnesses would provide further explanation.
“My Lord, I pray that the prosecution’s request for conviction be denied,” he said in closing his submission.
Okello also testified that he had been threatened by unidentified individuals prior to the incident, claiming the threats forced him out of his home in Ggaba and onto the streets.
He presented this as further evidence of the distress he says he was experiencing at the time.
The defence has begun calling witnesses to support his account. One such witness, whose identity was shielded from the public, testified in court while fully concealed in a mask and cap.
Defence lawyer Richard Kombuga requested that the witness’s identity be withheld, with disclosure limited to court officials in writing.
The trial has now entered a critical phase, with the court expected to weigh Okello’s claims of mental unfitness and coercion against earlier prosecution evidence, including witness testimony and statements recorded during investigations.
The Ggaba case, which involves the killing of young children, has attracted widespread public attention and raised broader questions about mental health, criminal responsibility, and the integrity of confession evidence within Uganda’s justice system.
Proceedings are ongoing.