A violent hailstorm has forced the abrupt evacuation of a trial judge and suspension of proceedings in the high-profile Ggaba murder case, adding another dramatic interruption to a trial already surrounded by a series of unusual and widely discussed incidents.

The disruption occurred shortly after court resumed from a 40-minute lunch break at the lakeside open-air venue in Ggaba. What began as a light drizzle quickly escalated into a heavy hailstorm accompanied by strong winds, tearing through temporary court tents and exposing judicial officers, lawyers, and court staff to harsh weather conditions.

Security personnel attached to trial judge Alice Komuhangi Khauka moved swiftly to evacuate her as the structure sheltering the bench became unstable. Court staff and members of the public were also forced to flee as parts of the seating tents showed signs of collapse. Court documents and equipment were hurriedly secured as proceedings came to an immediate halt.

The suspect in the case, Christopher Okello Onyum, was also escorted back to custody as confusion spread across the venue.

Court officials have since confirmed that no serious injuries were recorded during the incident, although the hearing was indefinitely suspended pending restoration of safe court conditions.

However, today’s weather-related disruption comes against the backdrop of a case that has already attracted intense public attention due to a series of earlier incidents. These include the reported death of a journalist linked to developments around the case, as well as a road incident involving a Uganda Prisons Service vehicle transporting the suspect, which left a blogger seriously injured.

The case has also been the subject of public debate following claims and narratives circulating in media and online spaces, though official court proceedings continue to treat all matters strictly within judicial processes.

The latest disruption has further heightened public interest in a trial that has repeatedly been interrupted by unexpected developments since its commencement.

Court officials have indicated that proceedings will resume once conditions are stabilised and the temporary court infrastructure is restored. However, the latest hailstorm disruption adds to a growing sequence of interruptions that have marked this trial from its onset, including the earlier reported death of a journalist linked to developments around the case, a road incident involving a Uganda Prisons Service vehicle that left a blogger injured, and other public claims that have circulated alongside the proceedings but remain outside formal court determinations. Collectively, these events have intensified public attention on the Ggaba murder case, framing it as a trial unfolding under a rare and highly unstable environment, where each new development continues to deepen scrutiny around both the courtroom process and the circumstances surrounding it.