14 Days for Christopher Okello Onyum to Appeal Death Penalty or Become First Civilian to be Hanged Since 1999

Christopher Okello Onyum has been sentenced to death for the brutal murder of four toddlers at a Ggaba daycare centre. Convicted by Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha of the High Court sitting at the Ggaba Community Church grounds, Okello has been informed he has 14 days to appeal his death penalty.

If he does not or his appeal is unsuccessful, Okello could give the Ugandan hangman some work (that is if there is one on payroll).

But like his public trial was some sort of history making after President Yoweri Museveni ordered the judiciary to take the trial to the community where the crime was committed, Okello would also make history if he is executed.

Records indicate that the last time a civilian was executed was in 1999.

The capital punishment exists in Ugandan law. But no civilian has been hanged after a court ruling since 1999. That year, some 28 people were executed.

Records show that the 28 inmates were hanged from April 27 to April 30, 1999, at Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Kampala. Most of them had been convicted of murder or aggravated robbery.

Those who were hanged included Haji Musa Sebirumbi, a former National Security Agency (NASA) agent under the Obote II government, who was said to have been on death row since 1989; Emmanuel Kasujja, Yefusa Khamali, Justus Robert Bashekana, Benson Komakech, Dauson John Bageya, Erizefani Kasakya, Amisi Katarikawe, Bashir Kanunyuzi, Sowedi Kanunyuzi, Jeflin Lubega, and Stephen Sunday.

The list also included Richard Odongpiny-Omal, Sisto Obwoma, Celestino Olango, Leo Nyendwoha, William Gurikacha, Medadi Tindarwesire, Silver Tugugu, Galasino Kinto, William Bataringaya, James Kinyingi Muwanga, John Fisher Iga, John Bosco Kiwanuka, Leo Mwebaze, Joseph Andabati, Ronald Owino, and Lwanga Kimbugwe Kaloli.

Unlike civilian executions, military executions persisted into the early 2000s, with three soldiers executed by firing squad after a military court found them guilty of killing civilians near Kitgum.

A year earlier, two other soldiers had been executed after a field court martial found them guilty of killing an Irish priest and two Ugandans that worked for him.  .

For civilians executions, it is said that finding people willing to do the job of a hangman was previous decades a difficult task as people avoided it.

But the Uganda Prisons Service is said to offer contracts or even recruit hangmen whenever there are death row convicts to be executed.

The conviction and sentence delivered today put Christopher Okello Onyum in line of execution – and only an appeal, and a successful one at that – can save him.

Also, if his execution is delayed for three years, he could have a chance to have his sentence commuted to life imprisonment as previous Supreme Court rulings have directed.

You can read about the judge’s ruling to sentence Christopher Okello Onyum to death, as reported Here.