Six children at risk over ruling, says rights group

By NIKKO TANUI

KENYA: A rights group wants the conduct of a Kericho magistrate investigated over a ruling it alleges had exposed six children to danger.

In a protest letter to the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board, Kericho Centre for Human Rights (KCHR) wondered why the area Resident Magistrate Maureen Shimenga gave the custody of the children to their mother Pascaline Rono despite evidence presented in court to prove that she had allegedly attempted to kill them by poisoning a year ago.

“We observe that the magistrate failed to put into consideration the best interest of the child as a matter of principle in her ruling and in this particular case their safety.

The magistrate did not even give the plaintiff an opportunity to argue his case,” reads part of the letter by KCHR’s Executive Director Robert Ngeno.

The children’s father, Ferdinand Rono, had told the court that his estranged wife had neglected her parental responsibility and had in May last year attempted to poison their children.

In his sworn statement, Mr Rono also told the court that the defendant had attempted to take her own life twice after he had left their matrimonial home in Barsiele, Kipkelion East Constituency.