At the High Court in Kampala, proceedings in the Ggaba murder trial have intensified, with the prosecution strongly contesting claims of mental illness raised by the accused, Christopher Okello Onyum, who is charged with the murder of four juveniles.

Last Friday, Okello told court he may not have been mentally fit at the time of the alleged killings at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre, arguing that his mental condition was overlooked during investigations.

He denied confessing for financial motives, insisting that any admission was coerced and disputing the contents of his recorded statement.

However, in submissions before the court, Chief State Prosecutor Jonathan Muwaganya dismissed the defence, arguing it failed to meet the legal threshold under the M'Naghten rule.

He emphasised that the defence did not provide credible evidence proving the accused suffered from a disease of the mind.

Muwaganya further argued that the defence failed to show that the accused lacked understanding of his actions or their consequences.

He also maintained that there was no proof that the accused was unaware that his actions were wrong.

The prosecutor rejected claims linking the accused’s actions to philanthropy, urging the court to convict on all counts due to lack of evidence supporting insanity.

By press time, the court was still receiving submissions from the defence team.

As the case continues, the focus remains on whether the accused’s mental state meets the legal standard required to sustain an insanity defence, an issue that could ultimately shape the outcome of this high-profile trial.