By Evelyn Kwamboka
A warrant of arrest has been issued against Britain-based preacher Gilbert Deya’s wife.
Nairobi Principal Magistrate Grace Macharia issued the warrant after Mrs Mary Deya failed to appear in court for the mention of her "miracle babies" case.
"I hereby issue a warrant of arrest against the accused person. The case will be mentioned on June 21," she ruled.
In the case filed in 2004, the bishop’s wife is charged with stealing five children and obtaining their birth registration by false pretence.
The children are Elijah Opiyo, Miriam Adongo, Ruth Akello, Naomi Gilbert and Elijah Juma.
Not present
The case was listed for mention yesterday before the chief magistrate’s court but when it was called for directions, she was not present.
It was listed following Principal Magistrate Stella Muketi’s transfer from Nairobi. She had been handling the matter.
Since Mrs Deya was arrested in 2004 at her residence in Nairobi’s Mountain View Estate, only one of the criminal cases touching on child theft has been concluded.
The case was concluded in 2007 upon which she served a two-year jail sentence after she was found guilty of stealing a baby.
The trial Magistrate Teresia Ngugi sentenced her along with Miriam Nyeko and Rose Kiserem for an offence of stealing the child below the age of 14.
