Woman who allegedly stole her house help’s baby detained for a week

Newborn and mother in hospital

A woman accused of stealing her house help’s three-day-old baby has been detained for seven days to allow police to complete investigations.

Alice Nyamwita Mokaya appeared in a Makadara court in Nairobi yesterday alongside her alleged accomplices, Gladys Chepkemoi, Jacinta Mueni, Teresia Mutuku and Rose Wayua.

They will all be detained at Embakasi Police Station for seven days following a successful application by the investigating officer.

The officer, Beth Kamande, asked Senior Resident Magistrate Steven Jalang’o to remand the accused, saying she needed more time to visit Mama Lucy Hospital where the child was born. The suspects were arrested on Friday.

“I need to get birth documents from the hospital and find a safe place for the complainant, who is a minor," she told the court.

Ms Kamande also said if the suspects were released, they could interfere with witnesses as the complainant had received threats from their relatives.

Safe place

“I need time to look for a safe place to take the complainant and her baby because of the threats from the suspects’ relatives," she said.

According to the police, Ms Mokaya employed the complainant, a Ugandan, as a house help last year. The girl, aged 17, was pregnant when she was hired.

The suspect allegedly took the house help to Mama Lucy Hospital where she delivered.

It was alleged that after three days, Mokaya asked the girl to give her the baby, promising to take her to a good place where she (the mother) could pick her from when she grew up. The crime was reportedly committed at Pipeline estate on February 2.

“I was hesitant but she took my child and gave me Sh1,500 to buy anything I wanted," she told police.

Police said Mokaya took the baby and sold her to Ms Mueni for Sh25,000.

The baby was later taken to Makueni County with the help of Mokaya and Mueni’s alleged accomplices, who were also arraigned.

The case will be mentioned on March 15.