A court has heard chilling testimony that Ggaba murder suspect Christopher Okello Onyum confessed to killing four toddlers at a day-care centre, expressed remorse, and admitted he understood the consequences of his actions.
Detective Assistant Superintendent of Police Eserait James, the Division CID Officer at Kabalagala Police, told court that the suspect made the confession shortly after his arrest on April 2, 2026.
He told me he was arrested after killing four children at a day-care centre in Ggaba.
Eserait James
According to the officer, he received information about the attack at around 11:30am and quickly mobilised a team of detectives alongside Scene of Crime personnel to respond. Upon arrival, they found a tense and emotional crowd gathered at the scene.
“We found a huge crowd of community members who were highly charged,” he said, noting that officers had to disperse them to secure the area and safely evacuate the suspect.
By the time police arrived, the suspect had already been apprehended by private security guards at the school and was later transferred to Kabalagala Police Station. Eserait noted that Okello appeared injured at the time.
I observed bruises on his arms, mouth and forehead. He later told me he had been beaten by the mob.
While at the station, the officer said he conducted an initial interaction with the suspect, who identified himself as Christopher Okello Onyum. When asked why he had been brought in, the suspect reportedly admitted to the killings.
“He said he had killed four children at the day-care,” Eserait testified.
The court also heard that when pressed for a motive, the suspect gave a disturbing explanation.
“He told me he killed these children because he was looking for riches,” the officer revealed.
Eserait further testified that the suspect admitted to planning the attack in advance. He allegedly surveilled the day-care centre and identified vulnerabilities.
“He said he took time surveilling the school and noted that there was no security guard and mostly women were present,” he said.
The suspect is also said to have prepared weapons prior to carrying out the crime.
“He told me he bought several knives before the murder and used some of them in committing the crime,” Eserait added.
In a moment that left the courtroom stunned, the officer recounted that the suspect expressed regret during their conversation.
“He said he was sorry, he apologised and knew that what he had done had consequences,” Eserait testified. “He said he could be jailed or even killed.”
The prosecution presented physical evidence to support the claims, including six knives allegedly recovered from the suspect’s residence in Kyanja.
“Six knives, five black and one grey, were recovered from the accused’s residence,” Eserait said. The items were admitted in court as exhibits without objection from the defence.
A subsequent search of the suspect’s home also led to the recovery of several items, including passports, electronic devices, and documents, which have since been submitted for forensic examination.
Prosecutors argue that both the confession and the recovered weapons point to clear intent and premeditation.
The trial, presided over by Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha, has been adjourned to allow for further cross-examination.
The post Court hears Ggaba murder suspect confessed to killing four toddlers, sought riches appeared first on MBU.