Kayole couple tried to steal and traffic one-day-old baby

Three people were arraigned in a Makadara court for allegedly trafficking a one-day-old baby.

Veronicah Nyaboke, her husband Robert Ombati and a friend, Grace Kemunto were charged with conspiring to commit a felony, jointly with others not before court, by trafficking the child on August 20 within Nairobi's Kayole Estate.

On the second count, they were accused of taking the said newborn from the mother for illegal fostering with the aim of trafficking the child.

According to the charge sheet, the mother of the newborn, who was working as a house help for the couple, was taken by Nyaboke and Kemunto to Mama Lucy Hospital where she delivered the baby girl and was discharged on the same day.

Due to fatigue, she fell asleep and on waking up the following day, she noticed that her baby missing. Kemunto, who had also accompanied her to the hospital, was not also around.

On inquiring to Nyaboke about the whereabouts of her baby, she was informed that the baby has been taken to Kisii to undergo rituals as per the Gusii culture.

After waiting for one week, she decided to travel to Kisii to look for her baby but could not find it.

Three weeks later, she sought the help of her sister upon returning to Nairobi and they reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the two suspects.

While the two were in custody, police received a tip-off that Ombati had been seen with a child and he was similarly arrested. The baby is said to have been transported to Nairobi from Kisii at night.

In court, the two women said they take care of eight children, including a four-year-old, who might suffer if were denied bond.

The court released them on a bond of Sh3 million pending hearing of the case on January 2023.