Christopher Okello, the man convicted for the brutal murder of four toddlers in Ggaba, has officially begun the legal process to appeal against his death sentence, following a recent ruling by the High Court.
The development has been confirmed by Uganda Prisons Service spokesperson Frank Baine, who said the convict is exercising his legal right to challenge the sentence through the appellate courts.
Okello was convicted just days after a historic mobile High Court sitting held in Ggaba, where the case was heard and concluded due to its gravity and public interest.
The court found him guilty of killing four children at a daycare centre, a case that shocked the nation and drew widespread condemnation.
Following the judgment, Okello was sentenced to death and immediately placed in the condemned section of Luzira Upper Prison.
He now becomes the 93rd prisoner on Uganda’s death row, a list that includes two women among those awaiting final outcomes of their cases.
According to prison authorities, Okello has already filed appeals to both the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, the Supreme Court, as allowed under Uganda’s judicial system.
Frank Baine explained that the legal process allows convicts sentenced to death by the High Court to first appeal to the Court of Appeal within a specified timeframe.
He noted that courts may provide timelines such as 14, 28, or 30 days for filing appeals, depending on the circumstances of the case.
If an appeal is filed outside the given period, it is considered “out of time,” but courts may still accept it if valid reasons are provided.
Baine further explained that after the Court of Appeal makes its decision, a further appeal can be made to the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the country.
If the Supreme Court upholds the conviction and sentence, the case then moves to what is known as the prerogative of mercy process.
Under this process, the final decision on execution rests with the President of Uganda, who has the authority to sign a death warrant or grant clemency.
Baine emphasized that this is the established legal pathway for all death penalty cases in the country.
He also noted that Uganda has not carried out any executions since April 1999, marking more than two decades without enforcement of capital punishment.
During this period, successive governments, including that of President Yoweri Museveni, have not signed death warrants, effectively keeping executions on hold.
Despite this, the Uganda Prisons Service maintains that it is institutionally prepared to carry out executions if legally directed to do so.
However, Frank Baine stated that the service prefers rehabilitation over execution, highlighting ongoing efforts to reform inmates on death row.
He said that many prisoners can still be transformed through correctional programs, even after receiving severe sentences.
The case of Christopher Okello continues to attract strong public emotions due to the nature of the crime and the age of the victims involved.
As the appeals process begins, the legal system is now expected to carefully review the conviction, while the country watches closely as the case moves through the higher courts.
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