Mother in court for attempting to poison daughter after domestic row

 

 A deadly potion with a skull and bones on the label. [File, Standard]

A middle-aged woman was today arraigned before Mpeketoni Court in Lamu County for attempting to kill her nine-month-old baby. 

Ann Muihaki, a mother of seven children is accused of applying insecticide used for spraying cotton on her daughter's food out of rage and after a disagreement with the minor’s dad.

Muihaki told Resident Magistrate Pascal Nabwana that the child’s father Mustafa Kibwana had neglected her and refused to fend for the child.

“I was angered by the actions of the child’ father who has neglected us and refused to fend for my children,” said Muihaki.

She further said that she wanted to get rid of the child because it reminded her of the father who forced himself on her severally.

It is alleged that on September 27, 2019, at Bahraini Village in Mpeketoni, Lamu County, Muihaki attempted to murder her own child by administering a poisonous substance namely insecticide for spraying cotton. 

She is to face a second count of cruelty to a child.

Muihaki on Tuesday said that she had to make a choice to either kill herself or the child and she settled on the child.

“I had to make a choice to kill myself or the child. It was easier to kill the child because I have other six children I have to fend for,” said Muihaki.

She, however, said that she did not manage to give the child poison because she refused to take the laced food.

She is said to have abandoned her child outside by the doorstep of the said husband.

She had written a letter to the minor’s father informing him that she was angered by his actions. Muihaki confessed that she was a mother of 7 and the father to her other six children had been incarcerated for defiling one of her children. 

The Magistrate directed that Muihaki be arraigned before a Senior Resident Magistrate Court and be charged with attempted murder.

Nabwana said that his court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter since attempted murder charges can only be heard by Senior Resident Magistrate. 

"I direct that this file be placed before the Senior Resident Magistrate in Lamu for plea taking," he ruled.

The matter will come up for plea today.