A senior police doctor has today told court that murder suspect Christopher Okello Onyum confessed to killing four toddlers in Ggaba in pursuit of “fortune,” as the prosecution continues to build its case asserting that the accused was mentally stable at the time of the alleged offences.
The testimony was given by the Deputy Director of Police Health Services, Dr Emmanuel Nuwamanya, who appeared as the prosecution’s tenth witness in the ongoing trial at the High Court Criminal Division in Kampala.
Dr Nuwamanya told court that Okello appeared calm and coherent during examination, adding that he was able to communicate clearly and maintain consistent eye contact throughout the interaction.
“He didn’t struggle to hold a conversation and kept eye contact for the whole duration of the interaction. My judgement was that he was in control,” the doctor testified.
According to the witness, Okello also allegedly admitted during questioning that the killings were linked to “fortune hunting.” He further told court that the suspect reportedly confessed to killing his stepbrother, an allegation that had previously circulated in public discussions.
The doctor also stated that Okello spoke of past mental health challenges and an alleged suicide attempt in 2023. However, he noted that there were no medical records available to substantiate those claims.
Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Sarah Awelo challenged why the accused was not referred to Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital for specialised assessment. In response, Nuwamanya said he did not deem it necessary at the time, arguing that the reported mental health concerns related to events in the past rather than the immediate period of examination.
“I didn’t find it necessary because Mr Okello’s struggles were not in his immediate past,” he said.
The prosecution maintains that Okello was fully in control of his actions at the time of the alleged killings, and continues to present witnesses aimed at strengthening its case on criminal responsibility.
The defence, however, is expected to persist with arguments around mental state and criminal liability, setting the stage for a closely contested trial as the court weighs both psychiatric and factual evidence.
The case is likely to remain centred on the accused’s mental health and criminal intent, with the prosecution pushing a narrative of full responsibility, while the defence seeks to introduce doubt around psychiatric stability. As more expert and medical testimony is expected, the court’s direction will hinge on whether it accepts the confession and behavioural assessment as proof of criminal intent, or whether it finds grounds for diminished responsibility or further psychiatric evaluation.
