Ugandan authorities have formally charged a 39 year old man with the قتل of four toddlers at a daycare center in Kampala in a case that has shocked the country and triggered calls for swift justice.
Police and prosecutors said the attack took place on April 2 at the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre also known as the Maranatha Community Church daycare in Makindye Division.
Investigators say the suspect Christopher Okello Onyum gained access by posing as a parent seeking enrollment and paying admission fees before locking the premises and carrying out the attack.
Prosecutors confirmed the victims as Eteku Gideon Keisha Agenorwoth Otim Sseruyange Ignitius and Odeke Ryan all toddlers enrolled at the center.
On April 7 the suspect appeared before a magistrates court where four murder charges were filed as prosecutors begin preparing the case for trial.
Officials said the suspect gave a statement admitting the killings claiming his actions were driven by beliefs linked to ritual practices aimed at acquiring wealth.
Authorities also confirmed that a medical evaluation found him mentally fit to stand trial.
He has been remanded in custody as proceedings continue with further hearings held on April 8.
In response to public outrage the judiciary is considering holding a community based trial in the Ggaba area to enhance transparency and public access.
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba called for the death penalty describing the killings as a heinous crime.
The case remains under active prosecution with broader concerns raised about child safety and security in early education institutions.
