Christopher Okello argues insanity; wants Butabika doctors summoned to defend him

• Christopher Onyum wants Butabika doctors summoned to testify about his mental health

• His brother told court he was admitted to Butabika Hospital in January 2020.

• Prosecutors opposed the request, saying it was filed too late in the trial.

Christopher Okello Onyum, the prime suspect in the murder of four toddlers at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, has asked court to summon doctors from Butabika National Referral Hospital to testify about his mental health history as part of his defence.

The request was made on Friday during the ongoing mobile High Court session at Ggaba Community Church grounds, where Onyum is facing four counts of murder over the April 2 killings that shocked the country.

He has already pleaded not guilty before Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha. 

The defence this afternoon introduced the issue through testimony from Onyum’s elder brother, whose identity and residence were concealed on the orders of court. 

The witness told the court that Onyum had previously been admitted to Butabika Hospital in January 2020 after an earlier incident.

“When I followed up at Butabika, I learnt that he had been admitted there following an incident that had happened,” he said. 

The brother said doctors refused to give him details of the incident despite him identifying himself as Onyum’s brother and said he had been searching for him since December 2019.

Following that testimony, defence lawyers led by Richard Kumbuga applied under Section 46 of the Trial on Indictments Act, asking the court to summon Butabika doctors to explain Onyum’s mental condition.

“There should be an inquiry about the health status of the accused person. The doctors should tell this court whether it is true that the accused has even been in this hospital for people with mental challenges,” Kumbuga submitted.

He argued that the government hospital should be able to provide records showing whether Onyum was treated there and whether he is mentally fit to follow proceedings and defend himself.

“If an order is made to the administration of Butabika, they will be able to find out who handled the suspect who was there and that person should be summoned to court,” he added.

State prosecutors opposed the request on grounds that the application had been brought too late since the defence had already started presenting its case.

“The section cited is about the capacity of the accused to stand trial or give his defence. An application under this section should be brought before and not after the defence has started giving their defence,” the prosecution argued.

They also reminded the court that at the beginning of trial, Onyum clearly told the judge he understood the charges against him and entered a plea of not guilty, which they said showed he was mentally fit. 

By publication of this story, Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha had not yet ruled on whether Butabika doctors would be summoned to testify. 

Onyum is accused of killing four toddlers on April 2 at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre after allegedly entering the school under the pretext of paying school fees for his child. Investigators say he later attacked the children with knives, killing four and injuring others. 

The trial, being held in a mobile High Court sitting at Ggaba Community Church, is one of the most closely watched criminal proceedings this year.