Newborn rescued from suspected illegal abortion centre in Ruaraka

Police rescued a days-old newborn during a raid on a house in Ruaraka, Nairobi, suspected of operating as an illegal abortion centre. [iStockphoto]

A days-old infant is under the care of nurses after being rescued from a house suspected to have been operating as an illegal abortion centre in Ruaraka, Nairobi.

The infant was found in a weak and pale condition on Monday evening when police raided the two-room house in Riverside following a tip-off from members of the public who suspected that illegal medical procedures were being carried out there.

Starehe Sub-County DCI head Maxwell Otieno said the baby, estimated to be between one and two days old and was in a critical condition when officers found it.

“The baby had really turned pale, very weak. I doubt whether it could have survived the night, but because of the quick intervention and the good care it is receiving, we are happy to say it is now in stable condition,” Otieno said.

Police said they were yet to establish the circumstances surrounding the infant’s presence at the premises, including whether it was born there or brought to the house.

The raid followed a distress call from members of the public, prompting officers from Drive Inn Police Station and the area chief to respond to the premises.

On arrival, officers found two women inside the house, which had been furnished to resemble a medical facility. The women, identified as Clara Wanjala, a student at Kenyatta University, and Gloria Adhiambo, a resident of Kahawa Wendani, were reportedly in severe pain and bleeding heavily.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) personnel were called to assist in taking the women for medical attention.

Otieno said officers found blood on the floor and the two women in considerable pain.

“The scene was marred by a lot of blood on the floor and the two victims appeared to be in extensive pain. Were it not for the quick response of the officers, bleeding alone could have taken a life,” he said.

It was during a further search of the premises that officers discovered the newborn in one of the rooms. The baby was taken to Mama Margaret Uhuru Hospital in Kariobangi for treatment, where it remains under the care of nurses.

Police also recovered several tools and suspected medical equipment believed to have been used in carrying out the procedures. A sign bearing the words “Kirini hukatwa hapa” was also found displayed at the premises.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the house was not a medical facility but was allegedly being used to carry out illegal abortions, according to Otieno.

Two men, identified as Simon Okali Arama, 55, and Lawrence Obwake Ombiro, 65, were arrested and escorted to Ruaraka Police Station.

A senior police officer in the Nairobi North Sub-region said detectives were investigating whether the two men had been operating an illegal business while posing as medical practitioners.

The officer said the alleged activities could have exposed unsuspecting clients seeking services at the premises to serious health risks.

“This is a serious case and the investigations include establishing if the two are trained doctors and why they were keeping two women in pain and bleeding,” the officer said.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has since taken over the case as detectives seek to establish the extent of the alleged operations and the roles played by the suspects.

Investigators are also trying to determine how long the premises had been operating and whether other women had procured abortions there.

Otieno said the setup of the house, including the presence of a recovery bed, suggested that the alleged operation could have been running for some time.

“We believe that, going by the setup, the way these rooms were set up, we were also able to even see the recovery bed, so we suspect that it must have been running for some time, although we don't know for how long,” he said.

He said investigations would be widened to identify other possible victims and people linked to the alleged operations.

“We believe that was just a tip of the iceberg. More is to come and we'll widen our investigations so that we unearth whatever that we have not been able to establish as of now,” he said.

The two suspects are expected to be arraigned in court today. Police said appropriate charges would be preferred against anyone found culpable once investigations are complete.