Court orders lost and found child returned to its mother

A court has ordered a six-month-old baby that was stolen last month returned with its mother.

Nakuru senior resident magistrate Daisy Mosse directed the Department of Children's Services to hand over the baby to Ann Nyambura, after it was traced to her friend Esther Musagwe. 

The baby was reported stolen on February 6. It was recovered by police in Ol Kalou after a month-long search.

Friends before

According to the prosecution, Nyambura and Musagwe were friends before the incident.

The court established that Musagwe tricked Nyambura to let her carry the child on their way to a local registrar of births and deaths.

Musagwe was holding the infant when two alighted from a taxi. Nyambura paid for the taxi but the driver requested her to look for change.

By the time she returned with the money, Musagwe had disappeared with the baby and switched off her mobile phone, making it difficult for Nyambura to reach her.

Nyambura then called her husband, who accompanied her to Nakuru Central Police Station, where the matter was reported.

On February 14, Musagwe was apprehended at Rhonda. She told police she had taken the baby to her mother-in-law.

Following the lead, the child was found on February 22 at Ol-Kalau. Musagwe and two other suspects were arrested.