Former hospital worker at center of child theft ring jailed for 25 years

Fred Leparan (right) and his co-accused Selina Awuor at Milimani Court on October 4, 2023. [Collins Kweyu, Standard] A court in Nairobi yesterday handed a former hospital employee 25 years in jail after finding him guilty of child trafficking. Fred Leparan, who worked at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital as a social worker, was on Wednesday also ordered to attend 10 years of supervised community service after cooling his heels behind bars. His co-accused Selina Awuor got a Sh300,000 fine. If she does not pay the fine, Milimani Court Senior Principal Magistrate Esther Kimilu ordered that she should serve two years in jail. Awuor was also a social worker at the Level Five hospital based in Embakasi. The magistrate also barred Leparan and Awour from engaging in children's affairs. In her sentence, Kimilu observed that the duo failed to protect children they were supposed to take care of. The magistrate observed that Leparan lacked empathy for the victims (children) and was not remorseful for his sins. "The first accused person I sentence him on the following grounds; three years jail term on account of conspiracy to traffic children, count two, three, and four he will serve 30 years for trafficking three children and count six and seven, he will serve two years for child negligence," Kimilu said. The court also directed that the minors at the heart of the trial be released for adoption. Leparan and Awuor were arrested in 2021 after an expose by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on a child trafficking syndicate at the county hospital. Pleading for leniency, Leparan said he was a first-time offender. He asked the court to allow him serve a sentence outside prison. "Leparan is a family man with children and he is a breadwinner having lost his father at a tender age," said his lawyer Martina Swigga. She said if Leparan was given a non-custodial sentence, he will reflect on the concluded trial and enable him to fit in the society as he supports his family. His other lawyer, Dunstan Omari claimed when Leparan was arrested his mother suffered mental challenges. He added that the convict scored 252 marks out of 500 marks and performed well according to his Maasai community. On her part, Awuor said she was well-behaved during the trial and was also a first offender. "I have always attended court religiously and should be regarded as a person with a good reputation and passion for work," said Awuor. She said she has two children and was the primary caregiver. Awuor added that her husband was formerly a security officer and currently jobless. But the Director of Public Prosecution stated that children trafficking was rampant. He urged the magistrate to hand a heavy sentence to the two as a lesson to others. The DPP asked the court to grant Leparan a sentence of 30 years and consider the recommendations of the Children's Act when sentencing Awuor On September 6, the first convict was found guilty of child trafficking. In her judgement, Kimilu said the prosecution proved that Leparan held three meetings in which the court concluded that the discussion was for the sale of a child. She added that a transaction happened and one Rose was given three children. "My determination is that the first accused (Leparan) is guilty of conspiracy to commit a felony and count two of trafficking persons," the magistrate ruled. Awuor was however acquitted on the two counts as she was not mentioned in any of the footage. The two were convicted on count three of the charge of negligence. The magistrate said there was evidence that the office of the medical social worker at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital did not inform Embakasi children's home about the stolen babies. She noted that a witness from Embakasi denied having been informed about the three abandoned children. Leparan was also found to have abused his office by handing the children to persons who were not authorised. During the defence hearing, Leparan denied having received Sh300,000 from a BBC journalist in the sale of babies at the facility. He said he never engaged himself in the illegal sale of babies. During the trial, a journalist attached to an international media house narrated how he exposed a child trafficking scandal at the hospital in 2020. BBC journalist Peter Murimi who testified virtually, explained how a social worker at the hospital Leparan, sold a baby boy to a childless woman for Sh300,000.

Former hospital worker at center of child theft ring jailed for 25 years

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