Tanzanian woman arrested in Migori for alleged child theft

Agnes Atieno being held by police in Migori for alleged child theft. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

Police in Migori County are holding a Tanzanian woman accused of stealing her employer's one-year-old child.

The suspect who was working as a house help was arrested by directorate of criminal investigations officers as she fled Homa-Bay County where she had committed the crime.

Reuben Kemboi, Suna East Sub- County police commander said detectives had launched a manhunt for the suspect identified as Agnes Atieno before she was intercepted in a vehicle while on her way to Sirare town, along the Kenya-Tanzania border.

The child’s father Abdul Haziz told The Standard that he had in the morning left the infant under the care of the suspect as he headed to work.

A few hours later he received a call from his 15-year-old daughter who informed him that the house help and the minor were missing.

"My daughter told me house help had sent her to go and buy breakfast. When she came back, they were nowhere to be seen," he said.

According to Aziz, the suspect was only two days old in the job.

"I had employed her two days ago and did not imagine that this would be the outcome," Mr Haziz said.

He said the woman had insisted on working as a day-scholar where she would report to work in the morning and leave in the evening.

Aziz said at the time of her employment. His wife had traveled for a burial of a relative.

“She asked for Sh1, 500 monthly pay, and disclosed that she was a Tanzanian who had relatives in Homa Bay,” he said.

When his son went missing, Haziz who works as a driver said he immediately reported the matter and posted his son's photos on social media to enable tracking.

“I rembered she had told me that she has relatives in Migori and so I immediately called a friend who alerted the DCI within the area. Luckily, they laid the trap in good time and arrested her,’Haziz said.

Police boss (Kemboi) said on interrogation, the woman disclosed that she was on her way to her home country Tanzania.

While asking parents to be cautious of whom they employ as house helps, Kemboi said the woman will be presented in Court upon conclusion of investigations.