A Ugandan-American man has confessed to stabbing four toddlers to death at a kindergarten in northern Uganda, telling investigators he believed the killings would bring him wealth through human sacrifice, according to prosecutors.

The suspect, 39-year-old Christopher Okello Onyum, appeared before a packed courtroom as charges of murder and aggravated violence were formally read to him. Prosecutors say Onyum, who holds both Ugandan and United States citizenship, entered the small community facility by posing as a parent before launching a knife attack on the children.

The victims, aged between 15 months and two and a half years, were among the youngest at a centre described in court documents as serving “malnourished and vulnerable children” from impoverished families. The attack triggered shock and fury in the surrounding community, where residents attempted to lynch the suspect before security forces intervened and arrested him.

In an indictment presented to the court, prosecutors said Onyum “recorded a charge and caution statement wherein he confessed to killing all the deceased children.” A medical assessment ordered by the state concluded that his thought processes were “normal” and that he was mentally fit to stand trial, but noted he “believed in wealth by human sacrifice” and saw the killings as a form of “fortune hunting or enrichment.”

Relatives of the victims, some clutching photographs of the children, filled the public gallery and jeered as Onyum was led into the dock. He remained expressionless, staring straight ahead while the charges were read and the prosecution outlined its case.

Investigators allege the attack was not spontaneous but meticulously prepared. The prosecutor’s office said evidence will show “the accused had carefully planned the offence over several days before he launched a violent and sustained attack on the children within the facility.” Authorities have not indicated that any accomplices are being sought, but say inquiries into Onyum’s movements and contacts are continuing.

The case has reignited national debate in Uganda over ritual killings and the use of the death penalty. Uganda’s army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the president’s son, has publicly vowed to seek the maximum punishment, declaring that the state will push for a death sentence if Onyum is convicted.

Onyum has been remanded to a high-security prison while prosecutors prepare for trial. A date for the proceedings has not yet been set.