The trial of Christopher Okello Onyum formally commenced on Monday under a special community-based High Court sitting in Ggaba, where the accused entered a plea of not guilty to multiple counts of murder arising from the deaths of four children at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre.

The proceedings are being presided over by Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha during a Mobile Court session convened within the affected community as part of the Judiciary’s access-to-justice framework.

The plea triggers the commencement of a full criminal trial in which the prosecution now bears the legal burden to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, in accordance with established criminal procedure.

The special session is being conducted under the Mobile Courts Practice Directions issued by the Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, which allow the High Court to sit closer to communities directly impacted by serious offences.

This initiative is intended to enhance transparency, improve public confidence in the justice system, and facilitate meaningful community participation in judicial processes.

Court records indicate that the accused denied all charges relating to the incident that occurred on April 2, 2026, an event that drew widespread public concern across Kampala and the country at large.

Following the plea, the matter proceeded into the evidentiary phase, where the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is expected to present witnesses and material exhibits in support of the indictment.

Judicial officials confirmed that the Mobile Court session is scheduled to run from April 13 to April 17, with daily hearings set between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The community-based setting is designed to ensure open justice, strengthen witness accessibility, and reinforce the Judiciary’s constitutional mandate to deliver timely and effective adjudication.

The proceedings continue under heightened public attention as the court undertakes its duty to determine the matter strictly on the basis of law and evidence.